# Schneider Downs > Big Thinking. Personal Focus. > Admin Email: bevancho@schneiderdowns.com ## Posts ### Dan Frazier Joins Schneider Downs as Chief Growth Officer PITTSBURGH, PA – Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, announces that Dan Frazier has joined the firm in the newly-created position of Chief Growth Officer. Mr. Frazier joins Schneider Downs from Pittsburgh-based Century Support Services, where he served as Chief Executive Officer and member of its Board of Directors since 2017. In this new position, he will oversee all firm growth initiatives and resources, working directly with firm leadership to prioritize strategic growth initiatives and investments. “Dan brings an extremely strong arsenal of experience in strategy and growth, which will be a tremendous asset to Schneider Downs as we continue to advance toward our Firm’s vision,” said Chris McElroy, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Schneider Downs. “Dan’s proven leadership and insights will support the introduction of new concepts as we continue our growth journey. Dan also fits our corporate culture, and we look forward to his contributions to our leadership team.” Mr. Frazier is a graduate of Duquesne University and lives in Cranberry Township with his wife and children. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Schneider Downs Hires Dan Frazier as First Chief Growth Officer ### Chris McElroy Joins UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees ### Melody Van Dusen Joins Schneider Downs as Tax Shareholder COLUMBUS, OH. – Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, announces that Melody Van Dusen has joined the firm as a tax shareholder. Ms. Van Dusen joins Schneider Downs from a national firm, where she held a leadership role in a client serving capacity. Included among her areas of focus are Accounting Standards Codification 740 and assisting Emerging Companies in all stages of development. Her presence further enhances Schneider Downs’ ability to provide highest-level tax advisory and guidance to its roster of clients. “I’m very pleased to welcome Melody to Schneider Downs. She’s an extremely experienced tax advisor who is also deeply committed to building relationships both with her co-workers and her clients,” said Justin Steele, practice leader for Schneider Downs Tax Advisors. “We couldn’t be more pleased to have the opportunity to add to our tax leadership team while also continuing to build on the momentum and growth we are experiencing in our Columbus office.” About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Ross Alessandro Discusses the R&D Tax Credit with the Allegheny County Bar Association ### Madeline Adamczyk Named 2025 Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Young Professional Award Recipient PITTSBURGH, PA – Schneider Downs is proud to announce that Madeline Adamczyk, Senior Marketing Strategist, has been named the winner of the 2025 Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Young Professional Award. Adamczyk was honored on September 5 at the annual ATHENA Awards Program of Greater Pittsburgh, hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council. “I’m so honored to be part of the ATHENA community. The ATHENA Young Professional Award is a powerful motivator for me to further engage in mentorship and community initiatives,” said Madeline Adamczyk. “Particularly in support of young women who are more reserved or introverted, both in academic settings and the workplace.” Presented annually, the Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA and ATHENA Young Professional Awards celebrate women who demonstrate excellence in their profession, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and uplift other women and girls through mentorship and support. “Maddie’s passion for her work, her community, and the people around her is truly inspiring,” said Daniel Hooven, Director of Marketing Strategy at Schneider Downs. “We’re incredibly proud to see her recognized with the ATHENA Young Professional Award, and we can’t wait to watch her build on this achievement in even more meaningful ways.” Learn more about the ATHENA Award program, winners and finalists here. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Schneider Downs Remembers John Null, Who Found Great Joy Advising Clients and Shaping Future Leaders ### Schneider Downs and Schneider Downs Wealth Management Honored in Columbus CEO Magazine’s 2025 “Best of Business” Awards COLUMBUS, OH – Schneider Downs is proud to announce its recognition as a two-award recipient in the 2025 “Best of Business” Awards, presented by Columbus CEO Magazine. These prestigious honors, determined by the magazine’s annual Readers poll, will be awarded at a gala event on October 8, 2025. Schneider Downs will be named “Best of Business – Accounting (Large Firm)” for the second consecutive year. The firm secured more votes than any other accounting firm in the category of organizations with more than 20 certified public accountants (CPAs), highlighting the continued trust and support of clients and readers across the region. Additionally, Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors will be honored with the “Best of Business – Wealth Management” award. This marks the first time the practice has achieved this distinction. “Awards and recognition are nice, but we’re particularly proud that this accolade stems from voters residing in the Columbus business community,” stated David Brinkman, partner and Senior Wealth Manager, Schneider Downs Advisors. “Ours is a business based on trust and confidence, so it’s rewarding to receive this feedback from the readers of Columbus CEO.” Now in its 18th year, the “Best of Business” Awards by Columbus CEO Magazine offer readers the opportunity to recognize outstanding businesses and service providers throughout the Columbus area. The 2025 poll included categories such as accounting and law firms, contractors, education, insurance, technology companies, and favorite restaurants. Honorees from this year’s “Best of Business” Awards will be celebrated at the Columbus CEO gala in October. For more information about Schneider Downs and its award-winning services, please visit our website. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services.  ### Schneider Downs Digital Named 2025 Solver AI Technology Partner of the Year Pittsburgh, PA – Schneider Downs Digital (SD Digital) is proud to announce that it has been named the 2025 Solver AI Technology Partner of the Year, a new award category championed by Nils Rasmussen, CEO of Solver, and Mike Applegate, CTO of Solver. The AI Technology Partner of the Year award recognizes a partner that has demonstrated its technology knowledge of AI and applied it to Solver scenarios to provide value to our mutual clients while also contributing their AI knowledge back to the greater Solver community. “We are honored to receive this award from Solver; a valued partner whose collaboration continues to inspire innovation and excellence. At SD Digital, our commitment to delivering transformative AI solutions is driven by a passionate and talented team whose dedication made this recognition possible,”  said Patrick Armknecht, Shareholder at SD Digital. “This award is a testament to the strength of our partnership and the impact we can achieve together.” This recognition reflects SD Digital’s ongoing commitment and fresh ideas in this disruptive and opportunity laden area of AI. “We are honored to recognize SD Digital with this award, which reflects their dedication and commitment to innovation. Their partnership with Solver continues to drive meaningful impact for organizations on their AI financial transformation journey,” said Mark Bennett, Sr. Partner Development Manager of Solver. “As we work toward eliminating ad hoc reporting in finance and achieving the full democratization of financial insights to improve bottom-line results, our clients have told us their biggest challenge is unifying their data,” said John Huckle, Chief Digital Innovator at SD Digital. “Our partnership with Solver helps companies speed up their AI journey, often in just weeks, and delivers immediate impact through real-time financial decisions across the enterprise.” The award was presented in August at the annual Solver ASCEND 2025 conference in Huntington Beach, California, where industry leaders gathered to share best practices, explore innovations, and celebrate outstanding partner achievements. Schneider Downs Digital plays a vital role in extending the reach and impact of Solver’s extended financial planning and analysis (xFP&A) solution by guiding organizations through the evaluation process and helping them implement, integrate, and customize Solver to meet their needs. About SD Digital SD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and user experience. Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com. About Solver Solver is an extended financial planning and analysis solution (xFP&A) with an AI-driven strategy that increases access to actionable insights beyond the finance department to accelerate intelligent decisions. Patented QuickStart integration technology provides immediate access to a collection of tailorable templates, allowing finance and management users to optimize their planning, reporting, consolidation, and analysis processes. Users can get up and running quickly, leveraging familiar Excel-based functionality to create any report and planning model. Solver transforms organizational data into a strategic advantage for data-driven success. Visit www.solverglobal.com to learn more. ### Schneider Downs Digital Wins 2025 Solver Partner Award for AI Technology Partner of the Year ### Schneider Downs Climbs to #55 in IPA Top 100 Accounting Firms Ranking ### Madeline Adamczyk Named Finalist for the 2025 Pittsburgh ATHENA Young Professional Award PITTSBURGH, PA – Madeline Adamczyk, Senior Marketing Strategist at Schneider Downs, has been named a finalist for the 2025 Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Young Professional Award. Madeline will be recognized at the 2025 ATHENA Awards Program of Greater Pittsburgh on September 5th, where she will be honored as one of three finalists for the ATHENA Young Professional Award. Presented annually, the Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA and ATHENA Young Professional Awards celebrate women who demonstrate excellence in their profession, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and uplift other women and girls through mentorship and support. “Maddie is an exceptional professional, community member, and person. Her commitment to empowering, educating, and elevating women reflects everything the ATHENA Award stands for,” said Daniel Hooven, Director of Marketing Strategy. “I’m thrilled to see her recognized among such an inspiring group of finalists.” Madeline is a University of Pittsburgh graduate who holds a Professional Certified Marketer credential from the American Marketing Association and was selected for the Content Marketing Institute’s Mentorship Program. She has held multiple leadership roles in the BNY Pittsburgh Toastmasters Club since 2021, including Club President, and will serve as Vice President of Membership in 2025. Learn more about the ATHENA Young Professional Award and the ATHENA Awards Program of Greater Pittsburgh here. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Nick Lombardo to Transition to Business Advisory Services Leader COLUMBUS, OH – Effective July 1, 2025, Nick D. Lombardo, Shareholder, is transitioning into the role of leader for Schneider Downs’ Business Advisory practice within the Firm’s Consulting Practice. He will coordinate this transition with Schneider Downs Consulting Practice Unit Leader Adam Goode, who previously served as leader of the Business Advisory practice. The Firm’s rapidly growing Business Advisory practice provides a broad spectrum of strategic and specialty services, including transaction advisory, fraud and forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation, and managed. Practice growth in Fiscal Year 2025 exceeded ten percent and is projecting continued growth for FY26. Nick previously served as the group leader for the firm’s Accounting Advisory Services (AAS) team, part of the Audit and Assurance practice unit. AAS continues to be one of Schneider Downs’ most exciting emerging specialty services within the firm, helping clients manage the accounting complexities and implications associated with increasing regulatory oversight and financial reporting challenges. As Nick joins the Business Advisory practice, the firm’s Accounting Advisory Services team will be integrated into the overall Consulting palette of services. Eight other professionals from AAS will join the group with him. “I’m thrilled to welcome the Accounting Advisory team into the Consulting practice. There are tremendous synergistic opportunities to align and deliver advisory services to the market,” explained Adam Goode, practice unit leader, Schneider Downs Consulting. “I’m equally excited to add Nick to the Consulting practice’s leadership team. Nick’s experience solving client problems in unique and creative ways makes him the ideal person to grow this practice into the future.” About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Schneider Downs Announces New Members to Ownership Group PITTSBURGH, PA – Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce the addition of new shareholders to its ownership group. The firm also announces the addition of one new partner to its affiliate, Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP.  “A firm’s foundation is built around its internal talent, and for nearly 70 years we’ve been proud to continue to grow our ownership group through the promotions of our highly talented professionals,” says Christopher S. McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “Schneider Downs continues to have aggressive growth goals moving into the future, and these new leaders will play an important part in this sustained success.”  The new promotions reach across several areas of the firm’s service offerings, including the firm’s tax, audit and consulting practices, as well as the growing wealth management practice.  Included among those promoted to Shareholder at Schneider Downs are:  Maggie Havelka, JD, MBA joined Schneider Downs in 2013 and focuses on estate, succession planning and individual taxation for business owners, executives and high net-worth individuals. She received her B.A. from the University of Findlay, and her M.B.A. and J.D. from West Virginia University. She is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Patrick Hickman, CPA, joined the firm in 2023 following a decade in public accounting with other firms. His areas of tax expertise include partnerships, including allocations, tax planning and structuring. His experience spans a variety of industries and includes private equity. He graduated with a B.S.B.A in Accounting from West Virginia University, and is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants. Logan Kowcheck, CPA joined Schneider Downs in 2011 in the firm’s audit practice group. He has experience serving clients in a variety of industries including energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing and retail. Logan leads the Firm’s Energy and Natural Resources Services Industry Group. He graduated with a B.A. in Accounting from Bethany College and holds a Master of Professional Accountancy from West Virginia University. He is very active in the community and serves as the President of the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies and is a Board member of The American Association of Drilling Engineers. Mike Marasco, MBA, joined the Schneider Downs Business Advisory Group in 2020 following 20 years of experience in business administration, finance, and accounting. Prior to joining the firm, he held various Chief Financial Officer positions, providing him with well-rounded expertise. Mike provides his administrative, planning, analytic and accounting expertise to clients looking for a strategic partner, or those looking to outsource any or all of their accounting and finance functions. He holds a B.S. and M.B.A. from Duquesne University. Janelle Merlo, CPA, CFP® joined Schneider Downs in 2023, bringing 20 years of public accounting experience, providing a wide variety of tax and consulting services to a broad range of clients. Janelle has extensive experience working with closely held businesses and their owners in the construction and manufacturing industries. Additionally, she is a certified financial planner and has experience helping clients as a business advisor, applying tax technical and other knowledge to consult on a variety of areas. She holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh and is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and the Construction Financial Management Association. In addition to the above-mentioned shareholders, Schneider Downs also announced the addition of a new partner to its affiliate, Schneider Downs Wealth Management.  Greg Daily, AIF® joined the firm in 2021, following over 20 years in the finance industry providing personal and institutional financial services. He helps individuals, families and organizations in achieving their financial goals through developing, overseeing and ultimately maintaining their wealth and investment management strategies. Gregg is also an active participant in our Investment Committee, assisting with the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the SDWMA Investment Platform, in addition to seeking out new investment strategies. Gregg received his Applied Science degree from Western School of Health and Business.   About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA.  ### Mike Voinovich Joins Schneider Downs as Audit Shareholder COLUMBUS, OH – Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, announces that Mike Voinovich, CPA, has joined the firm as an audit shareholder in its Columbus office. He officially joined the firm on May 12, 2025. Mr. Voinovich joins Schneider Downs from a Columbus-based national retailer, where he served as Chief Financial Officer since 2021. He also has more than 25 years of public accounting experience, served at CPA firms within the Columbus area. His executive leadership experience, coupled with his extensive experience in public accounting, further enhances Schneider Downs’ ability to provide highest-level consulting and guidance to its roster of clients. “Adding Mike to our shareholder group provides us with yet another strong leader and mentor for our entire team, as well as an experienced auditor who can provide shrewd financial insights to our clients in most any industry,” stated Staci Brogan, practice leader of the firm’s Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services Department. “Mike is a well-respected leader in the Columbus community, and we are proud that he will also now represent our firm.” About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Schneider Downs Co-CEO Chris McElroy featured on iHeart's CEOs You Should Know Columbus ### Joe Vandermark Joins Schneider Downs as IT Risk Advisory Shareholder COLUMBUS, OH – Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, announces Joe Vandermark, CISA, CIPP/IT, has joined the firm as IT Risk Advisory Shareholder in its Columbus office. He will officially join the firm on January 27, 2025. Mr. Vandermark joins Schneider Downs from the Columbus office of a national firm, where he served as Risk Consulting Leader. He will bring more than 25 years of experience guiding clients through the design and implementation of business transformation initiatives in a broad spectrum of areas, including cybersecurity, emerging technologies, internal audit & controls, business process improvement and third-party risk advisory. In addition to delivering on this expertise at Schneider Downs, he will also serve in the role of Consulting Services Columbus Market Growth Leader for Consulting Services at the firm. “We are pleased to welcome Joe’s experience and leadership to our firm, and especially enthused to introduce his talents to our clients and prospects,” said Chris McElroy, Co-CEO, Schneider Downs. “We have enjoyed very significant momentum in Columbus in recent years, and adding Joe’s strengths as an insightful consultant and recognized leader in the region’s business community is a tremendous asset for us.” About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Steven Barber Cited on Dealer Portal Failure in NPR's EV Tax Credit Investigation ### Jessica Miller and Jim Yard Receive the 2025 Pennsylvania Bankers Association Champion for Women Award ### Schneider Downs Achieves C3PAO Authorization to Conduct CMMC Certifications PITTSBURGH, PA – Schneider Downs has successfully completed the Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) authorization process. Schneider Downs is one of first 54 nationwide and three Pennsylvania-based CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense's (DoD) program. The CMMC is a major DoD program built to protect the defense industrial base from increasingly frequent and complex cyber-attacks. It particularly aims to enhance the protection of controlled unclassified information and comply with NIST SP 800-171 DOD assessment requirements. "This milestone reinforces our commitment to providing comprehensive compliance assessment services for organizations working with the DoD," said Eric M. Wright, Shareholder at Schneider Downs. "As an authorized C3PAO, we can now assist clients navigate the complexities of CMMC  compliance." As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is uniquely positioned to help organizations either prepare for or provide CMMC certification. Learn more about our CMMC Services or contact the Schneider Downs CMMC team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions, Personal Financial Services, Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the nation with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Schneider Downs Co-CEO's included in the Business Times’ Power 100 list ### Tom Springer discusses the pivotal role of baseline and readiness assessments in business transactions with the Catalyst Connection. ### Tom Springer discusses the pros and cons of selling a business in "Beyond the Horizon – Developing an Exit Strategy and Understanding Alternatives" in the Catalyst Connection. ### Tom Springer and Stuart Lawson discuss the intricacies of preparing a business for sale or acquisition with the BlackLetter Podcast. ### James Rumph discusses the need for agility in fraud risk management, including strategies and emerging risks, with the Ohio Society of CPAs. ### Schneider Downs Announces Sponsorship Agreement with Pro Golfer Neal Shipley PITTSBURGH — Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s largest public accounting and consulting firms, announced today that it has signed a sponsorship agreement with professional golfer Neal Shipley. Shipley, 23, turned professional in the summer of 2024 following a notable collegiate amateur career. He was the low amateur at both the 2024 Masters Tournament and the 2024 U.S. Open, becoming only the 9th golfer in PGA TOUR history to achieve this distinction in both tournaments in a single year. Shipley qualified for these events by finishing as the runner-up at the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship. He played college golf at James Madison University before transferring to The Ohio State University. Originally from Pittsburgh, Shipley is currently a member of the PGA TOUR Americas and has received sponsor exemptions to compete in multiple PGA TOUR events. “We are excited to have Neal Shipley represent our brand as he embarks on his professional golfing career,” said Chris M. McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “Neal has strong connections to Pittsburgh, where our headquarters are located, as well as to The Ohio State University, aligning well with our expanding office in Columbus, Ohio. His poise and performance on the golf course make him an ideal ambassador for our firm.” Under the agreement, Shipley will feature the Schneider Downs logo on the right side of his golf shirts through the 2026 season. He will also make personal appearances on behalf of Schneider Downs in both Pittsburgh and Columbus. The firm, headquartered in Pittsburgh and with a significant office in Columbus, finds the partnership particularly fitting given Shipley’s ties to both cities. “As I start my career as a professional golfer, partnering with a brand familiar to me from both my hometown and college town is truly special,” Shipley said. “This is an exciting time for me, and I look forward to representing Schneider Downs and engaging with their team and clients.”   About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm offering tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies as well as nonprofit organizations. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with additional offices in Columbus, Ohio, and Metropolitan Washington, Schneider Downs serves clients across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland, and globally. ### Alex Papson discusses how employers and employees can navigate the SECURE Act 2.0 on the Building PA Podcast ### Eric Surma and Tim Martin named as part of the 20 People to Know in Accounting by the Pittsburgh Business Times ### Schneider Downs named on Inside Public Accounting “Best of the Best” list of accounting firms ### Pittsburgh Business Times Features Schneider Downs' Internship Program ### Darin Schindler Joins the 2024 Men Wear Pink Campaign Pittsburgh, PA – Darin Schindler is representing Schneider Downs in the 2024 Men Wear Pink Campaign. According to Darin, the decision to join the campaign is because of the personal effect breast cancer has had on his family. Fourteen years ago, Darin’s wife Regina was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.  Thankfully, Regina is a cancer survivor. Darin and his family credit the network of researchers, physicians, hospitals and support systems that exist to treat this disease for saving Regina’s life. Funds raised from the Men Wear Pink Campaign help the American Cancer Society save lives from breast cancer by funding innovative breast cancer research; providing education and guidance to help people reduce their risk; and offering comprehensive patient support to those who need it most so that no one faces breast cancer alone. Darin will be guest bartending at Velum Fermentation Brewery in Pittsburgh, PA, on September 26th between 5 and 9 pm. He is also hosting a Tee Off Against Cancer fundraising event at Topgolf in Bridgeville, PA, on October 16th at 6 pm. For more information on the campaign or to support his mission, please visit Darin’s Men Wear Pink campaign page. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Schneider Downs Construction Practice Recognized by Constructive Executive Schneider Downs & Co. announces it has been recognized by Construction Executive’s “The Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms ™,” which was announced in the August 2024 issue of the publication. The firm reported more than 135 construction clients with interests across 27 states. Schneider Downs’ construction practice involves 18 partners and more than 70 CPAs who serve the firm’s clients across its offices in Pittsburgh, PA; Columbus; OH; and Washington D.C. Collectively, the practice was recognized as number 27 on the list of top 50 construction accounting firms. “Our firm has a long and storied history serving clients within the construction and building sector since 1956,” stated Ted Pettko, audit shareholder and chair of the firm’s construction practice. “Construction is an industry unlike any other. While bigger doesn’t always mean better, being recognized on this list for several years in a row does demonstrate our ongoing commitment to provide top-tier accounting guidance while also serving as industry specialists who understand the unique needs of our clients.” Now in its 22nd year of publication, Construction Executive is the leading trade magazine for the business of construction. In its July/August 2024 issue, CE published a comprehensive ranking of The Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms™. To determine the ranking, CE surveyed hundreds of U.S. accounting firms with a construction practice. Data collected included: 1) 2023 revenues from construction practice; 2) number of CPAs in construction practice; 3) percentage of firm’s total revenue derived from construction practice; 4) number of construction clients in 2023; 5) number of office locations with a construction accounting practice; 6) number of employees with CCIFP certification; and 7) year construction accounting practice established. The ranking was determined by an algorithm that weighted these factors in descending order of importance.   About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers risk advisory, wealth management, personal financial services and retirement plan solutions. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington, Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### Schneider Downs listed in the top 100 of Inside Public Accounting's largest U.S. CPA Firms ### James Rumph Joins Firm's Consulting Management Team COLUMBUS, OH—Schneider Downs & Co. announces that James Rumph has joined the firm’s consulting practice as a Director, helping lead its growing Business Advisory segment. Mr. Rumph has over 20 years of diverse experience in forensic fraud investigation, business valuation, damages analysis, accounting, audit, and risk management within various organizations. Prior to joining Schneider Downs, he was a corporate officer leading fraud risk governance, risk assessment, monitoring, and other consulting activities at a Fortune 100 insurance and financial services company. Mr. Rumph has also previously served in various forensic accounting and investigation roles within the insurance and public accounting industries, as well as for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In addition, Mr. Rumph has served as President of the Central Ohio Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), President of the Central Ohio and Des Moines ACFE Chapters, as co-chair of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud’s Fraud Risk Management Task Force, and chair of the ACFE Chapter Leaders Committee. At Schneider Downs, Mr. Rumph will help lead and expand the firm’s Business Advisory Services within the Columbus, OH market, which consists of Forensic & Litigation Services, Transaction Advisory Services, Valuation Services, and Outsourced Accounting Services. Mr. Rumph’s core focus will be within the firm’s Forensic & Litigation Services practice where he will help clients assess and remediate fraud risk as well as help investigate suspicions or allegations of fraud. In addition, Mr. Rumph will help clients and their attorneys with discovery and expert testimony around claims for lost profits, intellectual property disputes, breach of contract, insurance claims, construction claims, and valuation of closely held businesses. “James has a really impressive background and is a national thought-leader within the forensics space,” said Adam Goode, Business Advisory leader at Schneider Downs. “We’re thrilled to have him on the team and know his experience will be a tremendous asset to our practice and our clients.” Mr. Rumph received his bachelor’s in accounting and business administration from Graceland University, as well as his master’s in accounting with a concentration in forensics, from the Florida Atlantic University. He is also a certified public accountant (CPA), certified fraud examiner (CFE), certified anti-money laundering specialist (CAMS), and certified internal auditor (CIA). About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### Schneider Downs Launches SD Capital Aimed to Take M&A Advisory to the Next Level ### Schneider Downs Announces Schneider Downs Capital Value Advisors for the Middle Market July 10, 2024 — Schneider Downs & Co. introduces a new subsidiary: Schneider Downs Capital, LLC (SD Capital), a focused team of value advisors specializing in middle market transactions. The new entity, SD Capital, will guide owners in maximizing business value from early-stage planning through final transaction. It merges middle-market M&A investment banking services from Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP with strategic value advisory services aimed at enhancing pre-transaction value, evaluating downstream sale options, and implementing a top-tier transaction process. The powerful combination of top-tier transaction M&A execution capabilities and a proven team of value creation advisors provides business owners multiple pathways for downstream sale and monetization. The team brings deep industry expertise and transaction experience in information technology, government contracting and defense, energy and utility services, manufacturing and industrial services and consumer-related businesses. “Through our daily interactions with middle-market companies across all industries, we’ve recognized the need for both assistance in selling companies and the creation and enhancement of value earlier in the process. SD Capital has a talented roster of experienced advisors who can provide strategic and practical guidance to help clients navigate the entire process in a manner aligned with their personal and professional goals,” explained Chris McElroy, Co-CEO, Schneider Downs. SD Capital will be led by Managing Partners Peter J. Lieberman and Thomas L. Springer. Mr. Lieberman joined Schneider Downs in 2006 and has served as CEO of Schneider Downs Corporate Finance since 2018 where he led both Schneider Downs’ M&A investment banking and real estate investment businesses. Over a 27-year investment banking career, Mr. Lieberman has been a trusted advisor to a broad group of owners and executives executing strategic transactions and investments. Mr. Springer, a former Springer Lawson & Associates co-founder, joined Schneider Downs by strategic acquisition in May 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, advising, and maximizing enterprise value for middle-market clients, and specializes in technology and government contracting and is skilled as an operator preparing for liquidity events and ownership transfers. Imran Mohiuddin and Stuart Lawson will join SD Capital as Managing Directors, with additional employees based in our Metropolitan Washington, Columbus and Pittsburgh offices. Combining over 100 years of collective experience executing more than 100+ transactions, SD Capital’s team provides a full suite of services to assist mid-market companies as they explore opportunities for either growth or sale. This includes a best-in-class process and various sell-side options, such as control sales, recapitalizations, buy-outs, carve-outs, and ESOPs. Additionally, SD Capital offers the distinct advantage of leveraging the comprehensive service offerings of Schneider Downs, a premier independent consulting firm in the nation, which include estate, wealth management, tax, audit and consulting expertise. Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP will continue to operate Schneider Downs Real Estate Capital Markets, which arranges equity investments in commercial real estate development and acquisition transactions. Mr. Lieberman will continue to serve as CEO of Schneider Downs Corporate Finance. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm also offers risk advisory, wealth management, personal financial services and retirement plan solutions. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington, Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. ### Schneider Downs Shareholder Susan M. Kirsch Spotlighted in Pittsburgh Magazine For Her Successful Career ### CMO Sean Smith Discusses the Evolving Digital Marketing Landscape on the Association for Accounting Marketing’s Amplify! Podcast ### Stephanie Haugh discusses strategies to recruit top talent with Pittsburgh Business Times. ### SD Digital Senior Manager Chris Kosty, CPA, CIDA shares his digital wisdom with the CFMA. ### David Brinkman Featured On Columbus Business First Wealth Management Table Of Experts ### CARLEY TASLOV SHARES HER INSIGHTS WITH ABC NEWS 7 ON THE IMPACT OF THE BALTIMORE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE ON CONSUMERS ### SCHNEIDER DOWNS WINS CLEARLYRATED’S 2024 BEST OF ACCOUNTING DIAMOND AWARD FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE ### SCHNEIDER DOWNS WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LP NAMED A 2024 TOP DEFINED CONTRIBUTION ADVISOR TEAM BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PLAN ADVISORS We are pleased to announce that Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) has been named as one of the Nation’s Top DC Advisor Teams in 2024 by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) for the fourth consecutive year. The NAPA Top DC Advisor Firm list highlights the nation’s leading retirement plan advisor firms. Unlike other lists, this focuses on teams having at least $100 million in defined contribution (DC) plan assets under advisement and is based on self-reported assets under advisement as of December 31, 2023. The National Association of Plan Advisors was created by and for retirement plan advisors. Membership is also open to other retirement industry professionals who support the interests of plan advisors. NAPA is the only advocacy group exclusively focused on the issues that matter to retirement plan advisors. NAPA is part of the American Retirement Association, based in the Washington, D.C. area. More information about NAPA is available at www.napa-net.org. NAPA members like SDWMA are having a huge impact every single day, not just on the quality of retirement plan advice, but also in building a more financially secure retirement for millions of Americans. It is a great honor for SDWMA to be listed in this regard by NAPA. To our clients, friends, and colleagues, thank you for your continued trust and confidence in SDWMA. If you know someone that we could be of service to, please do not hesitate to share this email or our contact information. Please Note: NAPA updated the title and naming convention this year to reflect the year in which the list is released even though it is still based on data as of 2023. Hence, a list titled “NAPA Top DC Advisor Teams – 2023” is not published. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### MATT HARTMAN SHARES HIS INSIGHTS ON US CLIMATE DISCLOSURE PROGRAMS ### SCHNEIDER DOWNS UNVEILS SD DIGITAL Reimagining Technology and Data Services February 7, 2024 - Schneider Downs & Co. introduces SD Digital, an evolution of their Technology and Data Service practice designed to match modern solutions with modern problems, to unlock clients’ business potential. In response to the changing technology market, SD Digital, led by Schneider Downs shareholders John J. Huckle and Patrick B. Armknecht, delivers holistic, business enabling and human-centered digital solutions for essential back-office functions, including finance, operations, supply chain and human capital, across organizations of all sizes and industries. Taking a user-first approach to digital solutions, the practice will aim to help each client determine what “digital” means to them. "As digital technologies continue to emerge at an unprecedented pace, trying to make sense of how to leverage technology to drive strategy can be overwhelming. SD Digital works with market-leading platforms to help our customers solve their business problems” said Patrick B. Armknecht, Shareholder. “Our approach is designed to provide timely value to our clients while consistently managing risks to ensure successful project outcomes." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRHB2BBf8gk With the transition to SD Digital, Schneider Downs continues to offer a cutting-edge suite of business-focused, technology-enabled and AI-powered digital solutions which include: Data Analytics Digital Modernization Intelligent Automation Microsoft Dynamic ERP Solutions Custom Development In addition, SD Digital will continue to offer proprietary software including SD inSITE and simpLEASE accounting. “With digital spend at an all-time high and meaningful success in digital initiatives remaining frustratingly illusive, we know that our clients deserve a different and better approach to leveraging digital systems and thought patterns,” said John J. Huckle, Chief Digital Innovator. “The opportunity to unlock progress and meaningfully pivot/point their businesses towards success is why we exist. Given our proven experience of providing digital solutions to customers in their back offices, SD Digital is uniquely positioned to help simplify, educate and improve.” SD Digital will combine the firm’s business and industry expertise with its 20 years of technology consulting experience to create tailored solutions for each unique client need. In a market demanding digital partnership, SD Digital will help organizations discover the art of the possible with innovative and agile end-to-end digital solutions—leading organizations through every step of their modernization journey, while accounting for industry, regulatory and financial considerations. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm providing tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies and nonprofit organizations. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington, Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### ROGER SPEARS DISCUSSES CYBERSECURITY TIPS FOR THE NEW YEAR ### BLUE JACKETS ANNOUNCE SCHNEIDER DOWNS AS NEW CORPORATE PARTNER ### Schneider Downs has joined the Women in Manufacturing Association Schneider Downs is pleased to announce its membership with the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), a global trade association dedicated to supporting women in the manufacturing sector. Schneider Downs joins a community of more than 24,000 individual members representing over 2,800 manufacturing companies. This membership will provide Schneider Downs with access to valuable resources, networking opportunities and educational programs aimed at supporting women in manufacturing careers. "We’re ready to hit the ground running with WiM,” said Jeanne Barrett, Audit Shareholder and leader of the firm’s dedicated manufacturing group, "We’ve been excited to see more women represented in our manufacturing client base, and our participation in WiM will both support their careers and provide opportunities for women in our firm to build relationships in this space.” “WiM is a collective community working passionately to ensure that women are well-represented in the manufacturing space,” says WiM President and Founder Allison Grealis. “Our goal is to provide the tools, resources and connections to help women to reach their full potential in their roles in manufacturing while advocating for investments in female workers’ resources and support.” As part of its ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts, Schneider Downs is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace culture. By joining WiM, Schneider Downs aims to help foster such a culture within the manufacturing sector and promote the growth and advancement of women in manufacturing positions. About Schneider Downs Industry Groups Schneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### ROGER SPEARS DISCUSSES HOME NETWORK SECURITY WITH CYBER DEFENSE MAGAZINE ### CO-CEOS STEVEN THOMPSON AND CHRIS MCELROY RECOGNIZED ON THE 2024 PBT POWER 100 LIST ### BRETT CUBELLIS INTERVIEWED BY INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS MAGAZINE ON EV CREDITS ### MATT HARTMAN DISCUSSES THE GREENHOUSE GASES: CLIMATE-RELATED FINANCIAL RISK ACT WITH PRIME GLOBAL ### Rogers Spears Speaks with Property Casualty 360 on Cybersecurity Check-ups ### John Brady Joins Firm as an Accounting Advisory Manager PITTSBURGH, PA—Schneider Downs & Co. announces that John Brady has joined the firm as an Accounting Advisory Manager. Mr. Brady has 25 years of diverse accounting and finance experience, serving in both public accounting and private industry settings. Throughout his career, he has served clients over a broad range of sizes and a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, start-up, healthcare, retail, automotive and financial services. At Schneider Downs, Mr. Brady is responsible for the planning, coordination, management and overall delivery of services with his clients and is also instrumental in coaching, mentoring and evaluating fellow client service professionals.“John fits right in with the Accounting Advisory team,” said Nick Lombardo, Audit Shareholder. “His years of experience have already been an excellent resource for our clients, and he has been an outstanding mentor and asset to our group.” Mr. Brady received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting, from West Virginia University.About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington, Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### Chris McElroy Featured on Columbus Business Times Executive Insights ### Schneider Downs Continues Growth Kathleen Lynch Joins Firm as Director of Business Development PITTSBURGH, PA—Schneider Downs & Co. announces that Kathleen Lynch has joined the firm as Director of Business Development. Ms. Lynch brings more than 25 years of business development and marketing experience to Schneider Downs. She previously served in various business development, client service and operational roles for Am Law 100 and 200 law firms. At Schneider Downs, Ms. Lynch is responsible for developing, implementing and driving business development initiatives out of the firm’s Pittsburgh office. “Kathleen is coming to us at the right time for our firm,” said Chris McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “We’ve maintained a steady pace of organic growth to this point, and her expertise growing professional service firms like ours is exactly what we need to continue propelling us forward.” Ms. Lynch received her Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York at Oswego. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### SDWMA Leadership Announcement Derek J. Eichelberger to serve as Chief Executive Officer for $2.3 Billion AUM PracticePITTSBURGH – Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors (SDWMA), a Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, announced that Derek J. Eichelberger, CFA, CFP®, AIFA®, MBA will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective October 1. Mr. Eichelberger joined SDWMA in 2015 and has most recently served as Managing Partner of the wealth management firm.  He is also a shareholder at Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Mr. Eichelberger has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, and he has a lengthy history of advising high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments and retirement plans. He is a valued mentor to advisors and staff on the team, and he also serves on the Operating Committee for Schneider Downs & Co., the parent company of the wealth management practice.Mr. Eichelberger will transition into the role, replacing current CEO Nancy L. Skeans, CPA, CFP® MBA. Ms. Skeans, also celebrating her 20th anniversary at SDWMA, will remain in a leadership role with the practice, focusing primarily on serving existing clients, as well as mentoring SDWMA’s growing team of wealth advisors. She also will remain as the practice’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO).With 26 full-time team members across two offices, Pittsburgh and Columbus, SDWMA is currently managing over $2.3 billion in assets. The firm provides personal investment management, financial planning and qualified retirement services for individuals and companies across the country. In the June 2023 issue of Accounting Today, SDWMA was ranked 21st of 150 “Top Firms by Assets Under Management.” These top 150 firms are wealth advisory firms associated with a CPA firm and are ranked by AUM as of 12/31/2022.“Leadership transitions are a natural component of successful companies,” explained Skeans. “Our team has grown considerably over the last several years, adding three new Wealth Management partners and many talented employees.  Under Derek’s leadership, and with a strong team in place, I know that we are well-positioned to continue our high client service standards and our sustained pattern of growth.” “Nancy is a wonderful friend and confidant, and has been for many years,” said Mr. Eichelberger. “She was absolutely the catalyst in my joining Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, so it’s a special honor to become CEO in succession to her accomplishments. Our playbook is clear – we’ll continue with the same vision, management and service principles that we’ve held for 20 years.” Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### Ross Alessandro discusses IRS moratorium ERC claims delays with Pittsburgh Business Times ### Megan Whitlock Joins Schneider Downs as Tax Shareholder Megan Whitlock Joins Schneider Downs as Tax Shareholder PITTSBURGH, PA; COLUMBUS, OH. – Schneider Downs announces that Megan Whitlock, CPA, has joined its Tax shareholder group to expand the firm’s growing Tax practice with a focus on partnership taxation. Megan is based out of Dallas, Texas and will lead the focus of the firm's tax practice across all of its offices in Columbus, Pittsburgh and Metropolitan Washington. In this position, Megan will focus on client needs specific to the tax implications of complex partnership transactions. Megan has extensive experience working with both private equity sponsors and private equity owned companies. She also has experience advising on the tax implications of complex real estate and oil and gas transactions, but her client leadership has spanned various industries and transaction sizes throughout her career. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in the national tax office of a Big Four firm and most recently was the National Tax Director for a national firm. “We are pleased to welcome Megan to our shareholder group," said Justin Steele, Tax Practice Leader. "As an experienced technical tax advisor, we are excited to add her dynamic leadership to our vibrant and rapidly growing Tax Practice." Megan is a certified public accountant and holds a Master in Professional Accounting and Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Timothy Martin Selected to Attend AICPA’s 2023 Leadership Academy Timothy Martin from Schneider Downs Selected to Attend AICPA’s 2023 Leadership AcademyTimothy O. Martin, CPA was one of only 36 CPAs honored by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) as a member of the Leadership Academy’s 15th graduating class.Timothy was selected based on his exceptional leadership skills and professional experience for the four-day Leadership Academy program, which will be held December 11th – 14th. Timothy is a 2017 graduate of Geneva College with a Bachelor of Science in both Accounting and Business Management. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since February 2019 and received the 2020 PICPA Young Leader award. Having more than 6 years of public accounting assurance experience, Timothy is currently a Manager in Assurance and Advisory Services at Schneider Downs. Timothy provides assurance and accounting advisory services to his clients and is also responsible for a portion of the firm’s education curriculum, including developing, organizing and instructing audit staff. The AICPA Leadership Academy was designed to strengthen and expand the leadership skills of promising young professionals while they network with a peer group of talented and motivated CPAs.  The Leadership Academy features career development workshops and sessions with some of the accounting profession’s most prominent influencers. Participants were selected from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, government, and consulting firms.  The 2023 Leadership Academy attendees were recommended by their employers, state CPA societies, and/or volunteer organizations. Candidates submitted resumes and a statement explaining how participating in the Leadership Academy would impact them personally and professionally.  More than 480 CPAs have participated in the AICPA Leadership Academy, many of whom have taken on leadership positions in their firms, businesses, and volunteer organizations. For more information about the AICPA Leadership Academy, visit AICPA.org/Leadership.About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### Co-CEO Steven Thompson discusses the evolution of accounting firms with the Pittsburgh Business Times. ### Tim Amoroso joins the Firm’s Tax Practice PITTSBURGH, PA—Schneider Downs & Co. announces that Tim Amoroso has joined the firm a manager in the Tax Department. Mr. Amoroso has more than 6 years of public accounting experience, which includes time spent at a national public accounting firm. His primary focus is in the construction industry and closely held organizations. Tim has extensive knowledge of tax accounting methods, tax planning, and state tax returns.“We’re excited to have Tim on board,” said Justin Steele, Chair of Schneider Downs’ tax practice. “His expertise in the construction industry will further expand our capacity to serve tax clients in one of our key verticals.”Mr. Amoroso received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Pittsburgh.About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### Schneider Downs and Tim Wolfgang Featured on the Drata Blog ### Kevin Frischkorn Joins the 2023 Men Wear Pink Campaign Pittsburgh, PA – Kevin Frischkorn is representing Schneider Downs in the 2023 Men Wear Pink Campaign.According to Kevin, the decision to join the campaign is because of the personal effect breast cancer has had on his family. Kevin lost his grandmother to breast cancer shortly before he was born, and his mother battled breast cancer when he was a teenager and has been cancer-free for 20 years. More recently, his mother-in-law had breast cancer.“I participate to honor them.”Funds raised from the Men Wear Pink Campaign help the American Cancer Society save lives from breast cancer by funding innovative breast cancer research; providing education and guidance to help people reduce their risk; and offering comprehensive patient support to those who need it most so that no one faces breast cancer alone.Kevin will be guest bartending at Velum Fermentation Brewery of Pittsburgh, PA, and hosting a fundraising event at Topgolf in Bridgeville, PA. Stay tuned for event details and tickets.For more information on the campaign or to support his mission, please visit Kevin’s Men Wear Pink campaign page.About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Schneider Downs Announces Expansion of Management Team Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is pleased to announce the following additions to our management team.Patrick Hickmann, CPA, Tax Senior ManagerMr. Hickmann has over 10 years of experience in public accounting, which includes time spent at a Big Four public accounting firm where he served as the lead partnership technical expert for his office. He specializes in partnerships, including allocations, tax planning and structuring. He also has significant experience working with family offices, S corporations and individuals. His experience spans a variety of industries and includes private equity, manufacturing, casinos and real estate.  Mr. Hickmann received his B.S.B.A. in Accounting from West Virginia University  Maureen Barry, CPA, Tax Senior Manager  Ms. Barry has over 20 years of experience serving clients. Her clients are closely held, privately owned businesses in various industries, including retail, professional services, healthcare, real estate and start-ups. Ms. Barry enjoys understanding the whole client service plan, from the strategic business plan of the owners through their exit. Her expertise lies in being able to provide guidance on tax planning, accounting and accounting systems.  Ms. Barry received her B.S.B.A. in Accounting from Robert Morris University. Teagan Osborne, CPA, Audit ManagerMs. Osborne has more than 4 years of public accounting assurance experience, having previously worked in the public sector at another firm. She has had extensive experience serving a variety of clients in the construction and real estate industries.Ms. Osborne received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, with a minor in Finance from Geneva College. “Schneider Downs remains committed to fueling our growth by hiring talented professionals with experience relevant to our clients’ needs,” said Chris McElroy, co-CEO at Schneider Downs. “Ms. Osborne, Ms. Barry and Mr. Hickmann are all valued additions to our team.”About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Metropolitan Washington., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world. ### Stephen Bish Discusses New White House Cybersecurity Initiatives With NextGov.com ### Schneider Downs Receives Breakout Partner of the Year Award From Solver ### Kevin Frischkorn to be Ambassador for Men Wear Pink ### Schneider Downs' latest promotions boost its ownership group to record high ### Schneider Downs Announces Seven Additions to Ownership Group “We’ve had another monumental year at Schneider Downs,” said Steven Thompson, Co-CEO. “Each of these talented individuals has demonstrated exceptional commitment to our clients and the Schneider Downs community, and we’re thrilled that they’re continuing to grow with the firm. We’re proud to have added 10 shareholders in the past year, which wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous rate of growth we’ve achieved and maintained over the past few years. The future continues to be bright for us, and we’re excited to continue providing opportunities for professional development in the future.” The new promotions touch the firm’s offices in both Pittsburgh and Columbus, and they reach across several areas of the firm’s service offerings, including the firm’s Tax, Audit and Consulting practices, as well as the Merger and Acquisitions/Transaction Advisory practice.  Included among those promoted to Shareholder at Schneider Downs are: Ryan R. Deatrick joined the firm in 2009. He provides accounting and assurance services to both public and privately held companies, primarily those within the construction and manufacturing sectors. He also has extensive experience serving the employee benefit plans of his clients. Ryan is a member of the firm’s Construction Industry Group and serves as the firm’s subject matter expert related to Topic 606 Revenue Recognition for companies within that sector. Additionally, he frequently presents during internal firm training seminars and writes articles for the firm’s website. Ryan received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from West Virginia University.  Woodrow M. Morris has over 10 years of public accounting experience in various areas of tax compliance and consulting. He is experienced in working with the management of closely held businesses in implementing tax-planning strategies, as well as providing private equity and capital groups with tax forecast, advisory and compliance-related services. He also assists clients in identifying and applying for a variety of federal, state and local tax incentive programs. Over his career, Woodrow has managed tax engagements for privately held clients in industries such as construction, real estate, manufacturing and professional services. He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Robert Morris University. Brett T. Cubellis has more than 10 years of experience providing tax advisory services to privately-held corporations, partnerships, LLCs and individual clients, advising on various issues involving federal, international and state and local tax matters. Brett’s primary focus is on tax planning, research and compliance issues for corporate and pass-through entities as well as individuals. Brett has extensive experience working with companies operating in industry sectors ranging from automotive/motorcycle, retail, transportation and logistics, real estate, construction and service companies. He also has experience with transfers and acquisitions of interests in partnerships and closely-held corporations, as well as clients with tax exposure from foreign-owned investments. Brett is a graduate of Youngstown State University. James A. Sayre has more than 15 years of experience consulting and advising public and privately held clients in the areas of income and franchise taxation. James is one of the firm’s leading experts in accounting for income tax, including accounting for mergers and acquisitions, in accordance with ASC 740. He has served clients in various industries, including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, technology and professional services. He provides services to the firm’s clients that include the coordination and review of corporate, partnership and individual tax returns, including implementation of tax planning strategies. James is a graduate of Youngstown State University. William M. Deller Jr. has over 10 years of experience providing high-quality consulting, advisory and auditing services to clients across various industries, particularly in healthcare, technology, financial services, higher education, professional services and energy. William leads the Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) practice at Schneider Downs in program design, execution, and innovative and strategic solutions. In addition, he directs and leads client engagement teams within the firm’s full suite of Cybersecurity Governance, Risk and Compliance services. His specialties include SOC reporting, HIPAA, HITRUST, ISO 27001, GLBA, NIST 800 Series, CIS Cloud Security Controls, organizational policy development and IT general control testing. William is a graduate of Duquesne University. Brian W. Matthews joined Schneider Downs in January 2007 and has more than 15 years of public accounting experience. Brian has extensive experience providing consulting services including buy side and sell side diligence and financial modeling. Prior to joining the Business Advisory Group, Brian provided audit and assurance services to a variety of industries, including construction, manufacturing, transportation and radio broadcasting, in addition to clients in the not-for-profit sector and with publicly traded and private equity owned entities. He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Robert Morris University.  About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Metropolitan Washington.  About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP Schneider Downs Wealth Management, LP (“SD Wealth Management” or “SDWMA”) is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor specializing in Investment Management and Financial Planning Services for Individual Investors; Investment Management and Investment Committee Services for Institutions and Non-Profits; and Corporate Solutions and ERISA Fiduciary Services. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### Chris McElroy Discusses Vision 2030 With The Boomer Consulting Briefing Podcast ### Schneider Downs Expands Strategic and Transaction Advisory Services with the Addition of Five Management Consulting Specialists PITTSBURGH, PA-- Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, has added a team of five strategic and transaction advisory consultants to the firm’s Consulting and Business Advisory practice. The group joins Schneider Downs from Springer Lawson & Associates (SLA), a boutique consulting firm specializing in managing, transforming and optimizing enterprise value for middle-market clients. SLA co-founders Tom Springer and Stuart Lawson will be among those joining Schneider Downs. The two firms have previously worked together on joint projects in recent years, which helped identify the opportunity to explore synergies. SLA will sunset operations as part of the movement to Schneider Downs. “It’s a rare opportunity to add such a collective strength of business expertise and experience at one time,” said Chris McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “Tom, Stuart and their team have excellent in-depth experience in helping their clients operate more efficiently and profitably, and in ensuring that businesses maximize their value in sell-side transactions. That fits in perfectly in conjunction with our rapidly growing Business Advisory and Corporate Finance practices. We know from our previous projects together that this is an excellent cultural fit, as well as an important expansion of our strategic and transaction advisory service offerings.”   Included among those joining Schneider Downs will be: Tom Springer, Shareholder Stuart Lawson, Director Christine Marshall, Senior Manager Rebecca Talley, Senior II Timothy “Wayne” Pigott, Senior II Through their work with SLA, this integrated team is highly experienced in creating and selling business entities, managing mergers and acquisitions, as well as restructuring and managing workforces. These experiences both augment and expand the consulting services offered by Schneider Downs’ Consulting practice. The team will join the firm on May 1, 2023. In addition, the SLA team’s roots in Northern Virginia provide Schneider Downs with additional resources to serve existing clients in that region, while also helping the firm expand the offerings in its Washington D.C. office. “We continue to see growth opportunities in the DC/Northern Virginia market. Tom, Stu and his team have robust contacts and experience in that area, which will help us accelerate our growth plans for the market,” McElroy explained. “This is another step forward in our ongoing Vision 2030 strategic plan.” Schneider Downs’ Consulting practice offers a broad spectrum of specialties across Financial Advisory, Technology Advisory and Risk Management services. As businesses today face increasingly sophisticated challenges, the need for experienced management consultants has never been more pronounced. The incoming team from Springer Lawson will add both scope and depth to the firm’s existing Business Advisory and Corporate Finance consulting practices. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Schneider Down's growth featured in PBT ### Christopher T. Kosty, CPA, CIDA on Technology, Perspective and Change with PICPA ### Matt Hartman Discusses Key Stakeholders in the ESG Puzzle with Prime Global ### Michael Fox Joins Firm as Business Advisory Director Schneider Downs Expands Management Team PITTSBURGH, PA-- Schneider Downs & Co. announces that Michael Fox has joined the firm’s Business Advisory Practice as a Director. Mr. Fox has over 30 years of experience in financial and accounting operations within both public and private equity-sponsored businesses. He began his career at a Big 4 firm, before moving into CFO and Controller roles in various industries, ranging from Professional Service to Technology to Distribution and Logistics. Mr. Fox’s experience advising organizations of all kinds on both the “buy” and “sell” side of transactions, coupled with his detailed understanding of the issues important to private equity-sponsored companies, make him a valuable asset to Schneider Downs’ diverse client portfolio. “We are so pleased to welcome Mike to the team,” said Adam Goode, Chair of Schneider Downs’ Business Advisory Practice. “His deep background of experience will be a tremendous resource to our practice, providing clients with a valuable new perspective.” Mr. Fox received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world.   ### Matthew Legg Joins Schneider Downs as International Tax Practice Shareholder Addition further strengthens the Firm’s global tax presence PITTSBURGH, PA-- Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce that Matthew Legg, CPA, has been named tax shareholder to lead the firm’s growing International Tax practice. Mr. Legg will be based in the firm’s Pittsburgh, PA office, while leading the firm’s International tax practice across the firm’s offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus and Washington D.C. In this position, Mr. Legg will focus on client needs specific to international tax issues, including foreign and domestic tax considerations associated with the global business operations of firm clients. Mr. Legg brings extensive experience in all aspects of international tax strategies, including cross-border structuring and tax due diligence, foreign expansion assistance, foreign tax credit planning and international tax compliance projects. Prior to joining Schneider Downs, he served as the Managing Director of International Tax for a global firm. “We are quite pleased to add Matt Legg to our shareholder group,” said Chris McElroy, Co-CEO at Schneider Downs. “This area of our tax practice continues to grow rapidly, and our clients come to us with increasingly complex and sophisticated international tax needs. Matt’s expertise, as well as his personality and leadership skills, are a perfect match to meet those needs.” Mr. Legg is a certified public accountant (CPA) who received his Bachelor of Science, Accounting, from St. Vincent College. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world.   ### Kallie Winkler Recognized at the Upcoming PTC’s CIO of the Year Award Dinner Congratulations, Kallie Winkler Congratulations to Kallie Winkler, Client Systems Manager at Schneider Downs, for being named a finalist for the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Rising Star Award. Kallie will be recognized at the upcoming PTC’s CIO of the Year Award dinner on April 12. Kallie joined Schneider Downs as a Help Desk Technician in 2016 and has served as an outstanding resource, working her way through the department and becoming an essential part of overseeing many of the different technologies Schneider Downs professionals use each day. We are quite proud of Kallie’s recognition as a Rising Star in the Technology Industry. Best of luck to Kallie and all of the Rising Star Award finalists. Learn more about the Rising Star Award and the CIO of the Year program hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world.   ### Matt Hartman Joins Schneider Downs as Senior ESG and Sustainability Manager Schneider Downs Expands Management Team PITTSBURGH, PA—Schneider Downs & Co. announces that Matthew Hartman has joined the firm’s Risk Advisory Practice as Senior Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Manager. Mr. Hartman has 10 years of experience, in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. He brings an array of experience in corporate sustainability and reporting, development of ESG programs and ESG data sourcing and governance. Matt has previously delivered initiatives in line with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), amongst others. Mr. Hartman will aid Schneider Downs’ clients in designing, enhancing, implementing and evaluating organizations’ ESG practices. “ESG is a top business priority for organizations, along with pending guidance from the SEC, organizations across all industries will need strategic advisory services to accomplish their objectives and adapt to on-going changing regulations. Mr. Hartman will be a key addition to our growing ESG practice,” said James B. Yard, Chair of Schneider Downs’ Consulting Practice. “His experience deepens our abilities to advise our clients on ESG strategy, ESG implementation, and assurance. We are excited to have this expertise right here in our core markets, providing us the ability to serve our region’s companies with a full suite of ESG services focused on managing risk and adopting industry-leading practices to fully realize the benefits of ESG. Many of our clients and friends in the community continue to see pressure on ESG issues from customers, employees and investors.” Mr. Hartman received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University. About Schneider Downs ESG Consulting With our industry expertise and extensive knowledge of the risk advisory landscape, the Schneider Downs team can help your organization prepare for the proposed disclosure requirements and additional ESG-related risks by developing an ESG strategy that aligns with your overall corporate strategy. For more information on our ESG solutions, please visit our dedicated ESG solutions landing page. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Washington D.C., Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland and around the world.   ### Nancy Skeans’ groundbreaking career profiled in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ### Senior Manager of Cybersecurity Consulting Services Roger Spears comments on recent Hyundai and Kia lawsuits with the Automotive News ### Mark Balistrieri sits down with Kristen Powers of WTAE Action News 4 in the segment titled Breaking Down Sales Tax in Pennsylvania. ### Co-CEOs Steven Thompson and Chris McElroy selected to 2023 PBT Power 100 List ### Carl Scharf talks about EV Tax Credits with Automotive News ### New United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania Board Chair Raymond Buehler Jr. The board of directors of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania elected Raymond W. Buehler, Jr. as the incoming Chair in a news release courtesy of the United Way of Southwestern PA.“It’s very exciting to see Ray in the Board Chair seat and to welcome Stacy into the role of Vice Chair,” said Bobbi Watt Geer, President and CEO, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. “We’re very fortunate to have such committed leaders with a long history of supporting United Way. Each in their own way, they have contributed greatly to carrying out our mission, guiding our organization and supporting the community through many transitions. It’s fitting that the next chapter begins with them.”More than a decade ago, Buehler’s journey with United Way began at Schneider Downs through his colleagues, whose encouragement inspired his advocacy for the cause. Buehler became a Tocqueville Society member in 2004 and served as co-chair in 2020. Buehler joined the Board of Directors in 2011 and has served four terms since then. And, he chaired the annual campaign in 2014. Buehler’s passion for giving back to the community began as soon as he entered the workforce in 1975 at Schneider Downs, where he became a shareholder just six years later, President/CEO four years after that, and ascended to the role of Chairman in 2014. As he excelled in his professional career and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners by CPA Magazine, Buehler became an integral part of United Way’s leadership, which has helped him gain a unique perspective that combines his understanding of finances and meeting the community’s needs. As Board Chair, Buehler will serve as the organization’s Chief Volunteer Officer. “I have always felt that United Way is the heartbeat of this city,” said Buehler. “I am excited to continue my  involvement in helping it thrive and succeed in its mission. United Way’s leadership has always struck me in a very personal way, and I am proud to find myself a part of it. I know the need is enormous, but resources are constrained. So I ask myself, ‘Where can you get your most effective use of dollars?’ I believe the answer is United Way.”Read the entirety of the article Pittsburgh Business Times article United Way of SW PA announces new board leadership.About United Way United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, serving Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland counties, convenes and mobilizes the caring power of individuals, the business community and organizations to help local people meet basic needs, move toward financial stability and build for success in school and life. Together with dedicated donors and caring volunteers, United Way creates long-lasting change for the betterment of our community. ### Dave Mitros discusses real estate tax issues with Totum Realty Advisors ### Schneider Downs and Penguins partner on 2000s Theme Night at December 1 Game vs. Vegas ### Fraud is ramping up ### Carl Kriebel Shares How To Protect Yourself From Online Shopping Scams With WTAE-TV ABC ### Digital Transformation: How Boards Can Help Forge the Path Forward ### Fed continues assault on inflation with another .75 point rate hike ### What is Greenwashing and What Are the Associated Risks? ### Schneider Downs Announces Expansion of Management Team We are pleased to announce the additions of Roger Spears, Cybersecurity Project Manager and Michael Divens, CFA, SDWMA Research and Due Diligence Manager to our management team. “Schneider Downs continues to grow and expand through hiring experienced and talented personnel,” said Steven Thompson, co-managing shareholder of Schneider Downs. “We are excited to see Mr. Divens and Mr. Spears grow within our firm and provide our clients with quality service.” Roger Spears, Cybersecurity Project Manager Mr. Spears has over 18 years of experience within the IT and Cybersecurity disciplines. He has spent his career leading dynamic teams on both small- and enterprise-level projects. He has previously served as Chief Technology Officer, Cyber Security Training Coordinator and in other related positions for employers in the higher education sector and, most recently, for the U.S. Navy. He will serve a broad array of Schneider Downs’ cybersecurity clients in similar capacities. Mr. Spears received his Bachelor of Science in Technology from Bowling Green State University and his Masters of Science in Information Assurance and Security from Capella University. Michael Divens, CFA, SDWMA Research and Due Diligence ManagerMr. Divens is an investment professional with over six years of experience analyzing all aspects of companies for investment decisions, as well as in constructing investment portfolios for clients. He has previously served in Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Investment Analyst roles for large firms as well as in Project/Process Engineer positions in multiple industries.Mr. Divens attended Carnegie Mellon University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He then received his Executive Masters of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.  ### Schneider Downs’ manufacturing survey quoted in Akron Beacon Journal article ### The Value of Expanding Consulting Services Through Accounting Advisory ### analyzing the reduction in Pennsylvania’s Corporate CNI Tax ### What experts are saying: How is the economy doing in Dayton? ### Conflicting signs: What key economic indicators tell us about inflation’s impact ### Steve Barber Discusses EV Tax Credits with Bloomberg Law ### Schneider Downs Featured in INSIDE Public Accounting’s 2022 Best of the Best Accounting Firms List "Welcome to the 9-figures club, Schneider Downs.Schneider Downs & Co. LLC, based in downtown Pittsburgh, was No. 54 with revenue of $103.36 million, a new record and more than 9.7% above its prior high of $94.18 million when it ranked 56th on IPA’s 2021 list. Prior to 2021, Schneider Downs was the sole local to make the ranking since 2013.Steven Thompson, who is Schneider Downs’ co-CEO, along with Christopher McElroy, said it’s especially gratifying to move up in the IPA rankings because it’s difficult to do so without an acquisition. 'Our growth continues to be fueled organically, through the introduction of new services,' Thompson said. 'This past year saw a steady increase in demand for many of our consulting services, including risk advisory, transaction advisory, managed accounting services and technology. We also saw growth across our core practice areas: tax, audit, consulting and wealth management services. We believe this is a validation of our market strategy, which is to offer a broad spectrum of services that our clients need — all serviced by experienced professionals. As our clients’ needs change, we’re adding services to meet those needs. We’re grateful that our clients choose Schneider Downs for those services.'" Click here to read the full Pittsburgh Business Times article. About INSIDE Public AccountingIPA is a leader in practice management resources for the public accounting profession that include: a monthly practice management newsletter, annual national practice management benchmarking reports, and training. IPA has helped firms across North America grow and thrive since 1985. For more information, to schedule an interview, or to inquire about presentations at meetings or retreats, please contact IPA at (317) 733-1920 or info@plattgroupllc.com.  About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Stephen Worth Discusses Recent Cuts in the Pennsylvania Corporate Tax Rate ### Schneider Downs Announces Six New Members to Ownership Group Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce the addition of five new shareholders, as well as one new partner, to its affiliate, Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP “We are thrilled to add these new members to our leadership team. At Schneider Downs, we are committed to the professional development of our people, so it is especially rewarding when we can draw from existing talent to expand our ownership group,” says Christopher S. McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “We have watched these talented individuals grow throughout their years with us, and we are confident that each of them will advance the future of our firm and community in their new roles. What is particularly exciting is that these leaders join 7 new shareholders and partners from last year–as well as the recent additions of 3 lateral shareholder hires–to bring our new leader total to 15 in just the past two years. Growth creates opportunities.” The new promotions reach across several areas of the firm’s service offerings, including the firm’s tax, audit and consulting practices, as well as the growing wealth management practice.  Included among those promoted to Shareholder at Schneider Downs are:  David J. Mitros joined the firm in 2019. He has 14 years of experience working with national and regional firms, providing tax services to a variety of manufacturing, construction and real estate clients. David has a focus on privately-held organizations, working with management, owners and other stakeholders to identify and achieve tax-related objectives. With Schneider Downs, he has frequently been a valuable resource, assisting the firm’s clients in significant M&A activity by leading transaction structuring negotiations. He is a graduate of Miami University and a member of both the American Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Public Accountants.  Patricia R. Giudici joined the firm in 2016, following 12 years working for a regional and national firm. She has experience serving a diverse group of privately owned companies within the technology, distribution and logistics, manufacturing, real-estate and employee benefit plan industries, including significant experience working with start-up, private equity and venture capital-backed companies. She is a graduate of Clarion University and is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants. Patricia leads the firm’s Employee Benefit Plan Group. She is also a board member of Bethlehem Haven, an advisory council member for Standing Firm, a member of the planning committee for the St. Jude Gala, and a member of the Women’s Executive Board for the Pittsburgh Chapter of ACG.  Carley R. Taslov began her career at Schneider Downs in 2009 after graduation from Washington & Jefferson College. She specializes in helping clients identify, assess and manage risks through internal audit and risk management services. She delivers additional value to organizations in a variety of ways, including business process optimization and digital transformation. Carley's expertise spans multiple industries and her contributions to the firm have come from within the Risk Advisory Services and External Audit departments. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accounts (PICPA) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), as well as a board member for Lending Hearts, a Pittsburgh-based not-for-profit.  Eric M. Fair joined Schneider Downs in 2011 and has 11 years of experience leading teams and clients collaboratively through IT governance, risk & compliance initiatives, including but not limited to IT internal audit co-sourcing and outsourcing, SSAE 18, business continuity, disaster recovery, data privacy and cybersecurity consulting. Eric holds an M.S. in Internet Information Systems from Robert Morris University, a B.S. in Information Systems Management from Robert Morris University and an M.S. in Accounting from Liberty University. He currently serves on a local advisory board and as a co-chair to a local chapter dedicated to the industry. He has previously served on a local non-profit board and continues to participate in the mentorship program for his alma mater. Eric is one of only 95 active Certified Business Continuity Lead Auditors (CBCLA) globally and is also a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).  Derek J. Eichelberger has been with Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) since 2015 and serves as the practice’s Managing Partner. He advises high-net-worth individuals, foundations, endowments and retirement plans. He is a graduate of Penn State University and received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) also announced the promotion of a team member to the role of partner:  Michael J. Bucci has been with Schneider Downs for 12 years and currently leads the Investment Advisory practice for the SD Retirement Solutions division of Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors. He is a graduate of East Carolina University and a Certified Investment Management Analyst® About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C.  About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP Schneider Downs Wealth Management, LP (“SD Wealth Management” or “SDWMA”) is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor specializing in the Investment Management and Financial Planning Services for Individual Investors; Investment Management and Investment Committee Services for Institutions and Non-Profits; and Corporate Solutions and ERISA Fiduciary Services. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training.     ### David Murphy discusses the importance of disaster recovery plans ### Schneider Downs discusses cyber attack vulnerabilities and what colleges can do to mitigate them ### David Murphy highlighted on Post Gazette ### WAND - Ransomware, pandemic brought down Lincoln College ### David Murphy discusses challenges with 36-hour cyber reporting rule ### The key to digital transformation is strategy, not tech ### CSO Online – What Is Your Biggest Insider Threat? ### Cybersecurity Dive – Banks Face ‘Tight Deadline’ Under New Cyber Notification Rule ### Remain on Alert for Russian Financial Cyberattacks ### Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP Named a 2021 Top Defined Contribution Advisor Team by the National Association of Plan Advisors Pittsburgh, PA -- Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP was named one of the top Defined Contribution (DC) Teams in 2021 by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) for the second consecutive year.The NAPA Top DC Advisor Team list, which highlights the nation’s leading retirement plan advisor firms with at least $100 million in DC assets under advisement, is based on self-reported assets under advisement as of December 31, 2021.It’s an honor to be recognized by the National Association of Plan Advisors as one of the nation’s Top Defined Contribution Advisor Teams for the second consecutive year,” said Alex Papson, Manager of Fiduciary Solutions with Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP. “We take great pride in the breadth and depth of our expertise as a specialized retirement plan service provider and truly enjoy waking up every day to serve our clients and communities in that capacity.”The National Association of Plan Advisors was created by and for retirement plan advisors. However, membership is also open to other retirement industry professionals who support the interests of plan advisors. NAPA is the only advocacy group exclusively focused on the issues that matter to retirement plan advisors. It is part of the American Retirement Association, based in the Washington, D.C. area. More information about NAPA is available at www.napa-net.org.Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### David Murphy Shares His Thoughts on the impact of Potential Russian Cyber Attacks to U.S. Businesses ### David Murphy Discusses Cyber Insurance and Preparing For Potential Russian Cyberattacks ### Carl Kriebel Discusses the Importance of Closing Communication Gaps to Strengthen Cybersecurity ### David Murphy provides insight on the U.S. Cyber Command and Ukraine/Russia conflict ### Jeffrey Smercani Joins the 2022 Real Men Wear Pink Campaign Pittsburgh, PA – Jeffrey Smercani is representing Schneider Downs in the 2022 Real Men Wear Pink Campaign.The Real Men Wear Pink campaign raises breast cancer awareness and money to support the American Cancer Society’s mission to save more lives than ever before from breast cancer. According to Jeffrey, the decision to join the campaign was based on his personal experience.“Breast cancer affects everyone - it doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. That's why I'm stepping up to fight breast cancer with all I have.”Funds raised help the American Cancer Society save lives from breast cancer by funding innovative breast cancer research; providing education and guidance to help people reduce their risk; and offering comprehensive patient support to those who need it most so that no one faces breast cancer alone.Schneider Downs and Mindful Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, PA will be hosting a happy hour fundraising event later this year. Stay tuned for event details and tickets.For more information on the campaign or to support his mission, please visit Jeffrey’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign page at https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR/RMWP/RMWPCY22NER?px=57711276&pg=personal&fr_id=102923.About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Schneider Downs adds Ron Wollett, JD as Tax Shareholder in Columbus Office COLUMBUS, OH—Schneider Downs, a top-60 public accounting and business advisory firm in the United States, is proud to announce Ron Wollett has joined the firm’s shareholder group.Mr. Wollett has over 28 years of experience in both public accounting and private industry. He has served clients of all sizes, ranging from large SEC registrants to small family-owned businesses. Mr. Wollett’s vast industry expertise includes working with manufacturing, distribution, utilities, construction, retail, aircraft ownership and chartering and real estate companies, as well as family offices. He has a strong history of leading multifunctional teams that include multistate and international tax professionals to provide high-level and insightful services to clients.“We’re thrilled about the addition of Ron to our shareholder group,” explained Chris McElroy, Co-CEO. “His expertise in leading teams with varying tax specialties will be an amazing addition to our growing team in Columbus, as well as our Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. offices.”Mr. Wollett attended The Ohio State University where he received his B.S.B.A. in Accounting, followed by his J.D. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio’s Society of CPAs, The Columbus Bar Association and The Advisory Council for the Mentoring Center of Central Ohio.About Schneider Downs:Schneider Downs is a Top 60 accounting firm providing tax, audit and business advisory services to public, private and nonprofit companies.  The firm offers 80 services from five business units: Assurance and Tax Advisors; Business Advisors; Technology Advisors; Wealth Management Advisors; and Corporate Finance Advisors. With offices in Pittsburgh and Columbus, Schneider Downs serves clients in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington D.C., West Virginia, New York, Maryland and beyond.  ### Schneider Downs Announces Additions to Management PITTSBURGH, PA-- Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce the addition of six new management leaders to the firm.“We are thrilled that Schneider Downs has added to our management team,” stated Steven D. Thompson, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “These new leaders will play an integral part in the ongoing growth of our firm.”  Ashley Bucek, Tax Senior ManagerMs. Bucek has over ten years of experience in public accounting, a family office and a national bank. She attended Robert Morris University and received her BS in Financial Mathematics and BSBA in Accounting. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Taxation from the University, as well as her MBA in Business from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.  Emily Monda, Audit ManagerMs. Monda has over 7 years of professional accounting experience and previously worked in the assurance department of a Big Four accounting firm, in addition to her work in the accounting department of a billion-dollar computer software company. She received her BSBA in Accounting from Duquesne University and her Master of Professional Accountancy from West Virginia University.  Laura DelFratte, Tax DirectorMs. DelFratte has more than 15 years of experience in advising high-net worth individuals and business owners in tax related matters. She joined Schneider Downs as an intern in 2006 and then became a tax staff accountant in 2008. She pursued other work as an attorney for a local law firm and a tax director for a Big Four accounting firm. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and continued her education by earning an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business and her J.D. from at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.  Gregg Daily, SDWMA PFP Senior ManagerMr. Daily has been in the investment services industry since 2000, providing personal and institutional financial planning for clients. He develops, oversees and maintains wealth and investment management strategies to help individuals, families and organizations achieve their financial goals.  Justin Mudryk, Audit ManagerMr. Mudryk has over eight years of experience. He previously joined Schneider Downs in 2008 as an audit staff. Most recently he worked for an accounting and advisory firm based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Duquesne University where he studied Finance and Accounting.About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm providing tax, audit, and business advisory services to public and private companies and nonprofit organizations.  The firm offers more than 80 services from five business units: Assurance and Tax Advisors; Business Advisors; Technology Advisors; Wealth Management Advisors; and Corporate Finance Advisors. With offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus, and the District of Columbia, the firm serves clients with local, national, and global interests. ### simpLEASE Accounting Achieves SOC 1 Type 2 Examination Confirming Accounting and Financial Controls Security Lease accounting software provider, Schneider Downs, has announced the successful completion of the Service Organization Control (SOC) 1 Type 2 audit for simpLEASE Accounting. The third-party audit validates the completeness and accuracy of simpLEASE’s accounting and financial controls.Moore Colson, a third-party independent CPA Moore based in Atlanta, GA, provided the independent service auditors’ report on Schneider Downs’s description of its lease accounting software system, simpLEASE, for processing user entities’  transactions throughout the period  October  1, 2020 to September  30, 2021 and the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of the controls to achieve the related control objectives stated in the description.Jason M. Reljac, Manager of simpLEASE Accounting Services at Schneider Downs commented, “Substantial effort has been made to make sure that simpLEASE provides clients with appropriate and highly accurate results. The clean SOC report confirms that our effort was well placed and provides our clients with an independent endorsement.” Developed by Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest public accounting firms, simpLEASE helps organizations adapt to the new lease accounting standards introduced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board  (ASC 842). simpLEASE uses a wizard-based system to guide the user through the process and provides easy-to-understand guidance to analyze each individual lease.By answering a series of prompts about each contract, the program informs the user how the lease should be reported, reducing the time spent on the categorization process. Long-term, simpLEASE helps manage the on-going accounting of a leased asset including the creation of all of the necessary accounting entries on a monthly basis. Whether managing one lease or a thousand, simpLEASE makes lease accounting under ASC 842 simple and painless. Visit simpLEASE for more information.About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA. ### Carl Kriebel Joins Schneider Downs to Lead Cybersecurity Practice ### Schneider Downs Introduces Digital Transformation Solution Offerings Enhanced services develop strategic transformative solutions for organizations of all sizesOctober 13, 2021 – Schneider Downs’ Consulting practice announces that it has expanded its existing array of technology and data services with the introduction of Digital Transformation. Digital Transformation leverages Schneider Downs’ technological capabilities and experience to help clients identify and maximize opportunities to use digital technologies, innovation and processes to achieve maximum organizational efficiency.   The Schneider Downs’ Digital Transformation solutions focus on three foundational components of transformation: People, process and technology. All Digital Transformation solutions are developed and implemented with a specific focus on one or all of these components and a commitment to improvement through self-evaluation, innovation and technology.  People are the human capital that define, create, manage and use data Process represents the rules that leverage data to run the business Technology represents the business applications used by organizations to support the integration of people and process “We believe that today’s organizations have access to more information and technology than ever before and understand the challenge of matching technological solutions with unique business needs,” explained Patrick Armknecht, Shareholder. “At its core, our Digital Transformation solutions evaluate all facets of your current state and reimagines how future business technologies can work more efficiently.” In expanding the firm’s Technology and Data Services with Digital Transformation, Schneider Downs Consulting continues to build process and technology enhancements that are scalable for organizations of all sizes and industries. Collectively, these tools improve data reliability, productivity and timely reporting and analysis. The expanded group integrates a variety of services to support these processes, including: Reporting, Planning, & Analytics Automation and Workflow Data Management & Integration Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Infrastructure and Cloud Compliance & Security “These are services and concepts that Schneider Downs has offered to our clients for years,” said James B. Yard, practice leader of Schneider Downs Consulting. “We’re excited about formalizing the integration of our Technology and Data services to help organizations evolve their business processes and operations through Digital Transformation.” For more information on Schneider Downs Consulting’s Digital Transformation solutions, visit /digital-transformation or contact Patrick Armknehct at parmkencht@schneiderdowns.com.About Schneider Downs ConsultingThe Schneider Downs Consulting team features experienced professionals across a diverse array of specialties, carefully selected to address the most pressing needs of businesses across all industries. Our team of consultants will guide you through solutions to the problems on your radar, and help you identify those that are not. About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm also offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Stephen Bish Discusses the sharp rise in cyber insurance premiums ### Schneider Downs Introduces New Cybersecurity Awareness Month Resources The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice is introducing several new cybersecurity awareness resources for the 18th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month.Cybersecurity Awareness Month takes place annually every October and is a joint effort between the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The initiative was introduced in 2003 to help ensure Americans have the resources to keep themselves secure online at work and home. The theme for this year is a continuation of 2020’s “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart” narrative. In support of the Federal initiative, the Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice is introducing several new resources over the course of October to help educate and protect clients and communities from cyber threats. “Cybersecurity Awareness Month is when the spotlight is on cybersecurity, but we know first-hand that threat actors are attacking targets of all sizes every month, week, day, hour and minute,” said Eric Wright, Shareholder. “Educating end users is a critical first step in any organization’s cybersecurity posture and we hope our resources can help everyone to some degree.”The new Cybersecurity Awareness Month open-access resources are available at /ncsam and include:Video Series: Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2021In our ten-part video series, the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team answers the most commonly asked questions they have encountered on the frontlines over the past calendar year. The first five videos cover topics including cybersecurity insurance premiums, phishing, password blacklisting, penetration testing and Purple Team assessments. The full series is accessible at https://vimeo.com/showcase/8866271 with additional videos releasing throughout the second half of the month.Webinar: The Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment | November 10, 2021 @ 10AM ET (1 Hour)This one-hour webinar hosted by members of the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team will explore several aspects of a Purple Team assessment, including what exactly a Purple Team Assessment is, how the exercise works and the tangible benefits of the process. Attendees will qualify for 1 CPE and a replay will be available to all registrants following the live event.Registration is open until 11/9. Register here. These new resources - and others - are available year-round on the Schneider Downs cybersecurity resource center. Resources include infographics, quick-reference charts, original articles, multimedia, whitepapers and webinar replays. Interested parties can also subscribe to the Schneider Downs “Focus on Cybersecurity” bi-weekly newsletter.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and robust digital forensics and incident response team. For more information, visit /cybersecurity or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com.In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. ### Schneider Downs Ranked 27th in Construction Executive’s 2021 Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms Pittsburgh, PA -- Schneider Downs was ranked 27th in Construction Executive’s Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms rankings of the top accounting firms within the construction industry.For the 2021 Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms, Construction Executive reached out to U.S. accounting firms with formal construction practices to learn how they are advising their clients throughout the uncertain economic times with a focus on supply chain stability, labor shortages and cash flow management.“Schneider Downs has a long and storied history working with construction companies from throughout our region, and that work has been a tremendous part of our success for more than 65 years,” said Ted M. Pettko, audit shareholder and leader of the firm’s construction practice. “The construction sector is quite unique and has many different needs and requirements. The diversity of our specialists allows us to meet all of those needs, and I think that helps explain how our practice has continued to grow and thrive.”To qualify for the list and rankings, firms were asked to complete a survey with data including: 2020 revenues from construction practice Number of CPA's in construction practice Number of construction clients in 2020 Number of office locations with a construction accounting practice Number of employees with CCIFP certification Percentage of firm’s total revenues from construction practice Year construction accounting practice established. The ranking was determined by an algorithm that weighted these factors in descending order of importance.Learn more at www.constructionexec.com/pages/2021-top-50-construction-accounting-firms.About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C.About Schneider Downs Construction ServicesSchneider Downs understands that the relationship with your CPA firm rests on a strong foundation and we strive to build this footing with big thinking and personal focus for our construction clients.  As a top 60 CPA firm in the U.S., we have more than 350 professionals with a wide background of experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  Schneider Downs offers several dedicated services for the construction industry including audit and assurance services, tax services and business advisory services. Learn more at /construction. ### Alexander Papson Joins the 2021 Real Men Wear Pink Campaign Pittsburgh, PA -- Alexander Papson, Manager of Fiduciary Solutions with Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP, is representing Schneider Downs in the 2021 Real Men Wear Pink Campaign.The Real Men Wear Pink campaign raises breast cancer awareness and money to support the American Cancer Society’s mission to save more lives than ever before from breast cancer. According to Alexander, the decision to join the campaign was based on his personal experience.“Participating in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign is my way of honoring my family’s suffering, sacrifices and tenacity while also taking a cathartic jab at cancer with the research that the campaign will fund.”Funds raised help the American Cancer Society save lives from breast cancer by funding innovative breast cancer research; providing education and guidance to help people reduce their risk; and offering comprehensive patient support to those who need it most so that no one faces breast cancer alone.Schneider Downs and Mindful Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, PA will be hosting a happy hour fundraising event on Wednesday, September 29. For event details and tickets please visit the fundraising event page.For more information on the campaign or to support his mission, please visit Alexander’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign page at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/alexanderpapson.About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Schneider Downs Featured in INSIDE Public Accounting’s 2021 Best of the Best Accounting Firms List Carmel, Ind. (August 20, 2021) − Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest public accounting firms in the United States, was one of the firms named among the “Best of the Best” in the 2021 list.Continuing a tradition that stretches back more than 25 years, INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) has unveiled its list of the Best of the Best public accounting firms in the nation for 2021. Ranked on more than 50 metrics, these top performers within the profession produce superior results while planning for long-term sustainability and growth, offering both clients and staff alike a successful future.The 2021 IPA Best of the Best – chosen from more than 520 firms that were eligible for this prestigious accolade by participating in IPA’s 31st Annual Survey and Analysis of Firms – are scattered across the U.S. and Canada and come in all sizes, ranging from 11 employees to nearly 3,000.“Given the challenges, obstacles and uncertainties of 2020, being named an IPA Best of the Best firm is an especially notable achievement,” says Michael Platt, principal of the Platt Group and publisher of the accounting trade publication, INSIDE Public Accounting. “Combined with the overarching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were societal stressors (heightened racial justice awareness and a divisive presidential election), employee stressors (home schooling, remote work and burnout), business stressors (remote onboarding, productivity, engagement and firm culture) and client stressors (shutdowns, cash flow, uncertainty and existential threats for many). Firms that were able to overcome these landmines while turning in stellar performance are to be celebrated.”According to Steven D. Thompson, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs, appearing on this list represents a further validation of the firm’s continuing efforts to operate in a manner that benefits the firm, its clients and its community.“It’s always gratifying to be recognized by a highly respected third-party for doing business the right way,” Thompson explained. “The past two years have been fraught with business challenges, and the best we can do each day is make the best decisions that we can. We’re proud to be among such strong and talented firms as the others that comprise the Best of the Best list. It’s really a tribute to our entire team for their efforts to work together as one firm.”About INSIDE Public AccountingIPA is a leader in practice management resources for the public accounting profession that include: a monthly practice management newsletter, annual national practice management benchmarking reports, and training. IPA has helped firms across North America grow and thrive since 1985. For more information, to schedule an interview, or to inquire about presentations at meetings or retreats, please contact IPA at (317) 733-1920 or info@plattgroupllc.com.  About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Schneider Downs Certified as a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) Pittsburgh, PA -- Schneider Downs announces its certification by the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council as a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) Company, which grants authorization to provide audit services for merchants and service providers to comply with credit card security standards. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was established as an information security standard for organizations that handle branded credit cards. Merchants of any size that accept cards are required to be compliant with the PCI Security Council security standards. All merchants must complete an annual Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) and Level 1 merchants, as defined by the PCI Security Standard Council, must obtain an annual Report on Compliance (RoC) from a QSA Company. As a QSA Company, Schneider Downs is now approved to complete both RoCs for merchants and service providers that require them, as well as attest to the completeness and accuracy of SAQs performed by any merchant that does not require a formal RoC. The firm has historically provided a variety of services to assist with PCI DSS compliance, ranging from scoping of the cardholder data environment to delivering penetration and segmentation testing. “We are excited to bring the firm’s extensive experience in IT audit and PCI DSS together into this new service offering. Serving as a QSA allows us to help merchants of all sizes stay on the right side of compliance requirements, which ultimately protects consumers. With a continually evolving compliance landscape (a new revision of PCI DSS is anticipated in 2022), it is crucial for companies of all sizes to find a partner that can address all of their needs,” stated Eric Wright, Shareholder. “The QSA designation better positions us to serve our clients and reduce their compliance overhead.” The PCI Security Standards Council defines a QSA Company as an independent security organization that has been qualified by the PCI Security Standards Council to validate an entity’s adherence to PCI DSS. QSA Employees are individuals who are employed by a QSA Company and have satisfied and continue to satisfy all QSA Requirements. Schneider Downs is now certified at the company level and has several designated QSA employees who can assist with your PCI audit. Schneider Downs continues to offer a variety of additional services pertaining to PCI DSS compliance, including: Cardholder data environment (CDE) scoping and reduction PCI DSS gap assessment/readiness Penetration testing Segmentation testing For more information please visit /cybersecurity/payment-card-industry-data-security-standard-compliance Schneider Downs PCI DSS Contacts Eric Wright CPA, CITP – ewright@schniederdowns.com Sean Thomas CISA, CISSP, CISM – sthomas@schneiderdowns.com Timothy Wolfgang CISA, CISSP, CCSFP – twolfgang@schneiderdowns.com About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Schneider Downs’ IT Risk Advisory professionals help organizations gain valuable insights into their processes and technologies. Our dedicated IT Risk Advisory professionals have experience working with a wide variety of industries and companies of all sizes. We will partner with you to provide comprehensive IT risk advisory reviews that will ensure your organization has effective and efficient technology controls that better align the technology function with their business and risk strategies. Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C.   ### Steve Thompson Discusses Firm Growth ### Schneider Downs Supersizes Holiday Weekend ### Schneider Downs Announces Seven New Members to Ownership Group PITTSBURGH, PA-- Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce the addition of five new shareholders, as well as two new partners to its affiliate, Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP. This matches the largest single-year addition to the leadership team in the firm’s 65-year history.“On the heels of the great challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are very proud that Schneider Downs is in a position to significantly add to our ownership group this year. This speaks to the extremely talented roster of talent we have within our firm, as well as the great potential we see for our firm’s future,” stated Steven D. Thompson, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “These new leaders will play an integral part in the ongoing growth of all facets of our organization.”The new promotions reach across several areas of the firm’s service offerings, including the firm’s tax, audit and consulting practices, as well as the growing wealth management practice.Included among those promoted to Shareholder at Schneider Downs are:Adam J. Goode (Pittsburgh, PA) joined Schneider Downs in 2007, following seven years of work within the private sector. He leads the firm’s Accounting Advisory Services Group along with Nick Lombardo (see below). Adam is a graduate of Robert Morris University. He is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and was a recipient of the 2015 PICPA Young Leader Award.Tony P. Ielase (Columbus, OH) joined the firm in 2019 as Director of Risk Advisory Services. He holds a BSBA in Accounting from Clarion University and is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).Nicholas D. Lombardo (Columbus) joined Schneider Downs in 2004. He leads the firm’s Accounting Advisory Services Group along with Adam Goode (see above). Nick is a graduate of Capital University and a member of the American and Ohio Institutes of Certified Public Accountants.Sarah R. Piot (Pittsburgh) joined the firm in 2002 and specializes in providing tax services to tax-exempt organizations (including institutions of higher education). She is a graduate of Robert Morris University and a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants.Matthew C. Werner (Pittsburgh) joined the firm in 2019 as a tax senior manager and serves clients in the public, private and emerging-growth global organizations sectors. He is a graduate of Duquesne University and a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants.The following professionals were named Partner to Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA):David C. Brinkman, CFA, CPA, CFP®, CPFA (Columbus) has been an Investment Relationship Manager with SDWMA since 2016.  David is a Chartered Financial Analyst®, a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Financial PlannerTM Practitioner and a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor. David is a graduate of The Ohio State University and is a member of the CFA Society of Columbus and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.Jason R. Staley, CFA, CAIA® (Pittsburgh) joined SDWMA in 2016 as Director of Research and Due Diligence. Jason is a graduate of Mercyhurst University and is both a Chartered Financial Analyst® and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and is a member of many investment-related organizations.About Schneider Downs:Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C.About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LPSchneider Downs Wealth Management, LP (“SD Wealth Management” or “SDWMA”) is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor specializing in the Investment Management and Financial Planning Services for Individual Investors; Investment Management and Investment Committee Services for Institutions and Non-Profits; and Corporate Solutions and ERISA Fiduciary Services. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training.  ### Jack Wolford Named Pittsburgh Tech Council CIO of the Year ### Stephen Worth Joins Schneider Downs as State and Local Tax Shareholder PITTSBURGH, PA-- Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce that Stephen Worth, CPA, JD,  has been named tax shareholder to lead the firm’s growing State and Local Tax (SALT) practice. Mr. Worth will be based in the firm’s Columbus, OH office, while leading the firm’s SALT practice across the firm’s offices in Columbus, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. In this position, Mr. Worth will focus on client needs specific to state and local tax issues, including state corporate income/franchise tax, sales and use tax, property tax and incentives/credits. Mr. Worth brings extensive experience in all aspects of state income taxation, including compliance technical support and review, SEC financial reporting requirements for income tax disclosures and analysis of client filings for refund opportunities.  Prior to joining Schneider Downs, he led the Northeast Ohio Indirect/SALT practice for a national firm. “Stephen is an excellent addition to our shareholder team, both as an experienced technical advisor and a dynamic leader,” said Chris McElroy, Co-CEO at Schneider Downs. “In today’s constantly changing environment, our clients need and deserve sophisticated experience navigating the many challenges associated with state and local taxation issues. Stephen will fill that need and lead our SALT practice into the future.” Mr. Worth is both a certified public accountant (CPA) and a licensed attorney. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of Cincinnati, and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. About Schneider Downs: Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies.  The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.  Schneider Downs is the 13th-largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA , Columbus, OH and Washington D.C. ### Jack Wolford Shortlisted for the Pittsburgh Tech Council CIO of the Year Award ### Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP Named in Accounting Today’s 2021 Wealth Magnet Ratings Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP was ranked as #27 in  Accounting Today’s 2021 “Wealth Magnet” rankings of the top 150 wealth management firms within a CPA firm.Read More (https://www.accountingtoday.com/list/the-2021-billion-dollar-wealth-magnets) Award Disclosure The 2021 Wealth Magnets Ranking of the Top 150 Firms by AUM is published by Accounting Today, an independent company unaffiliated with Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (“SDWMA”). The ranking is exclusively by assets under management and is based on submissions by over 150 firms. AUM reported is comprised of assets under management as well as under administration. The dates used by firms submitting data varies. Data provided by Audit Analytics, an online intelligence service that delivers audit, regulator and disclosure analysis to the accounting community. Information from these sources is deemed to be reliable, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. SDWMA did not pay to be included in this ranking. Working with a ranked advisor should be evaluated properly and has no correlation to investment results. Working with a highly-ranked advisor does not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. Third-party rankings are no guarantee of future investment success or performance. This ranking is conducted by a third-party provider and not meant to serve as an endorsement for SDWMA. Rankings should not be considered an endorsement of the wealth manager by any client nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation. Provided for informational purposes only.Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training.  ### David Murphy Previews Cyburgh 2021 on Tech Vibe Radio ### Troy Fine Discusses How Cybersecurity Requirements Can Provide New Opportunities for CPAs ### Steven Thompson's Thoughts on Covid-19 Mitigation Measures Lift ### Mary Richter and Dan Phillips provide insight into President Biden’s Global Tax Reforms in the International Accounting Bulletin. ### Accounting firm Schneider Downs & Co. Inc. announces consolidated services practice ### Introducing Schneider Downs Consulting New structure consolidates more than 80 existing services into an integrated practiceMarch 3, 2021 – Today, Schneider Downs announced the reorganization of more than 80 unique services into a consolidated practice, Schneider Downs Consulting. This practice will operate in conjunction with Schneider Downs’ traditional accounting and tax services, one of the 60 largest practices in the United States. The reorganization reflects the increasing impact of business consulting services to the firm’s continued growth. The services provided by Schneider Downs Consulting are not new to the firm, but rather existing and emerging services that have been reorganized into logical groupings to provide greater clarity of the firm’s broad scope of available services. “Schneider Downs has a 65-year history of adding services and capabilities to help meet the ever-emerging needs of our clients,” explained Steven D. Thompson, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “As these services continued to proliferate and expand, it became apparent that they should be organized in such a manner that streamlines the process for prospective clients to discover them.” Under the Schneider Downs Consulting platform, more than 80 services are organized into three categories: Risk Advisory – including services such as IT Risk Advisory, Enterprise Risk Management, SOC Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management Technology Advisory – including services such as Cybersecurity, Business Process Automation (BPA), Data Analytics and Software Solutions Financial Advisory – including services such as Accounting Advisory, Transaction Advisory, Business Consulting and Investment Banking “Many of these services are not traditional to accounting and tax firms, yet they are absolutely essential for businesses operating in today’s rapidly changing world,” explained Chris S. McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “We have offered these services for years, yet people are still sometimes surprised to learn what we can do.  We believe the Schneider Downs Consulting structure will make it easier to communicate the full spectrum of services that we can provide to our clients.”All services can be discovered on the Schneider Downs Consulting website.About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm providing tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies and nonprofit organizations.  With offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus and the District of Columbia, the firm serves clients with local, national and global interests.  ### Snags are surfacing in $284B PPP round Schneider Downs Michael Hart provides insight into issues with the $284B PPP funding round in the Business Times article, "Here's where snags are surfacing in $284B PPP round". ### Schneider Downs Achieves CMMC Third-Party Assessor Certification Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. has successfully completed the Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) accreditation process and applied for the CMMC ML-3 assessment performed by the Defense Contract Management Agency’s (DCMA) Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC). Pending a successful CMMC ML-3 assessment, Schneider Downs will be authorized to provide certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program.  “This represents another step in our commitment to provide comprehensive compliance assessment services to organizations dealing with the Department of Defense,” explained Eric M. Wright, shareholder at Schneider Downs. “Schneider Downs is already certified as a Registered Provider Organization to provide preliminary CMMC advisory assessments. Completing the C3PAO certification furthers our ability to assist clients as they navigate the challenges of confirming data security when working with the Department of Defense.”Schneider Downs currently provides CMMC readiness and consulting services. The team includes a Certified CMMC Provisional Assessor, and several other members currently in process of applying for CMMC Certified Assessor status who plan on completing training in Q2 of 2021.About CMMCThe CMMC is a unified standard for implementing cybersecurity across the defense industrial base (DIB), which includes hundreds of thousands of contractors across the nation. The DOD created the CMMC compliance standard to improve the security of the supply chain of the DIB. New legislation requires third-party assessments of contractors’ compliance with the standardized practices and procedures – making it essential to involve an assessor with CMMC certification.  Contractors that receive Federal Contract Information (FCI) and/or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) will not be able to do business with the DOD without complying with CMMC requirements.The CMMC framework adds a certification element to verify the implementation of processes and practices associated with the achievement of a cybersecurity model.  CMMC is designed to provide increased assurance to the DOD that a DIB contractor can adequately protect FIC and CUI at a level commensurate with the risk, accounting for information flow down to its subcontractors in a multi-tier supply chain.For more information on how Schneider Downs can help with CMMC, please visit /cmmc or contact us.About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Schneider Downs’ dedicated IT Risk Advisory practice works with organizations across the country to help them gain valuable insights into their processes and technologies. Schneider Downs partners with clients to provide comprehensive IT audits and compliance reviews that will ensure your organization has effective and efficient technology controls that better align the technology function with their business and risk strategies.Schneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm providing tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers more than 80 services from five business units: Assurance and Tax Advisors; Business Advisors; Technology Advisors; Wealth Management Advisors; and Corporate Finance Advisors. With offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus and the District of Columbia, the firm serves clients with local, national and global interests.  ### Schneider Downs Wins ClearlyRated’s 2021 Best of Accounting Diamond Award for Service Excellence SCHNEIDER DOWNS WINS CLEARLYRATED’S  2021 BEST OF ACCOUNTING DIAMOND AWARD FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE Diamond Award winners have won the Best of Accounting Award for at least 5 years in a row, consistently earning industry-leading satisfaction scores from their clients.PITTSBURGH, PA –  February 2021 – Schneider Downs, a leading accounting firm announced today that they have won the Best of Accounting Diamond Award for providing superior service to their clients for at least five consecutive years. ClearlyRated's Best of Accounting® Award winners have proven to be industry leaders in service quality based entirely on ratings provided by their clients. Best of Accounting winners are twice as likely to be satisfied than those who work with non-winning firms. Just 22% of the 2021 Best of Accounting winners earned the Diamond Award distinction. Schneider Downs received satisfaction scores of 9 or 10 out of 10 from 88% of their clients, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 43% in 2020.“Schneider Downs works hard to make client service a top priority and we are proud and honored to be recognized for our efforts in this way.” Schneider Downs’ co-managing CEO, Steve Thompson said. “We’re thrilled that we have received this honor now for the fifth year in a row and look forward to continuing to provide best-in-class client service for many years to come.”“After one of the most turbulent years in modern history, winners of the 2021 Best of Accounting award have proven their commitment to go above and beyond in support of their clients," said ClearlyRated's CEO and Founder, Eric Gregg. "These service leaders have demonstrated their capacity to be agile, to be precise, and to prioritize the client experience above all else. It is my honor to celebrate and showcase the 2021 Best of Accounting winners alongside feedback from their actual clients on ClearlyRated.com!”About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm providing tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies and nonprofit organizations.  The firm offers more than 80 services from five business units: Assurance and Tax Advisors; Business Advisors; Technology Advisors; Wealth Management Advisors; and Corporate Finance Advisors. With offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus and the District of Columbia, the firm serves clients with local, national and global interests.About ClearlyRatedRooted in satisfaction research for professional service firms, ClearlyRated utilizes a Net Promoter® Score survey program to help professional service firms measure their service experience, build online reputation, and differentiate on service quality. Learn more at https://www.clearlyrated.com/solutions/.About Best of Accounting™  ClearlyRated's Best of Accounting® Award recognizes accounting firms that have demonstrated exceptional service quality based exclusively on ratings provided by their clients. The award program provides statistically valid and objective service quality benchmarks for the accounting industry, revealing which firms deliver the highest quality of service to their clients. Winners are featured on ClearlyRated.com—an online business directory that helps buyers of professional services find service leaders and vet prospective firms with the help of validated client ratings and testimonials.   ### simpLEASE Accounting Achieves SOC 1 Type 2 Examination Confirming Accounting and Financial Controls Security Lease accounting software provider, Schneider Downs, has announced the successful completion of the Service Organization Control (SOC) 1 Type 2 audit for simpLEASE Accounting.The third-party audit validates the completeness and accuracy of simpLEASE’s accounting and financial controls. Moore Colson, a third-party independent CPA based in Atlanta, GA, provided the independent service auditors’ report on Schneider Downs’s description of its lease accounting software system, simpLEASE, for processing user  entities’  transactions  throughout  the  period  October  1,  2019 to September  30,  2020  and  the  suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of the controls to achieve the related control  objectives  stated  in  the  description.Jason M. Reljac, Manager of simpLEASE Accounting Services at Schneider Downs noted, “We are confident in what we have built with simpLEASE in regards to control and accuracy around lease accounting, and having the SOC report completed further validates our efforts and our commitment to our clients.” simpLEASE was developed by Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest public accounting firms, to help organizations adapt to the new lease accounting standards introduced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board  (ASC 842). simpLEASE uses a wizard-based system to guide the user through the process and provides easy-to-understand guidance to analyze each individual lease. By answering a series of prompts about each contract, the program informs the user how the lease should be reported, reducing the time spent on the categorization process. Long-term, simpLEASE helps manage the on-going accounting of a leased asset including the creation of all of the necessary accounting entries on a monthly basis. Whether managing one lease or a thousand, simpLEASE makes lease accounting under ASC 842 simple and painless. For more information on simpLEASE visit www.simpleaseaccounting.com.About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA.  ### SaaS startups need to prioritize SOC 2 ### Brian Matthews outlines changes to PPP with the Pittsburgh Business Times ### Schneider Downs Named PTC Tech 50 Cybersecurity Innovator of the Year Schneider Downs was named the 2020 Pittsburgh Tech Council’s Cybersecurity Innovator of the Year. The Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Tech 50 Awards honor technology innovation in the greater Pittsburgh region. “This is an enormous recognition from the Tech Council, especially given the very stiff competition from other providers in the region,” said Daniel Desko, leader of Schneider Downs' cybersecurity practice. “This is an award earned by the entire firm – and by our clients who have trusted us with the very sensitive nature of assisting with their data security and cybersecurity needs. We’re genuinely motivated by working with our clients to provide proactive and innovative solutions to help make them better…it’s gratifying to be honored for that approach.” For a full list of category finalists and winners please visit the PTC Tech 50 event recap page. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. For more information, visit our website or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. If you suspect your organization is experiencing a network incident, our Incident Response Team is available around–the-clock at 1-800-993-8937. ## Pages ### CMMC Compliance Services - Warren, MI CMMC Compliance Services - Warren, (MI) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Warren (MI), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Warren, MISchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Warren, MINot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Warren and Michigan business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Warren, MIWarren hosts major Army and defense R&D operations alongside a dense cluster of manufacturers and integrators. Aligning with CMMC requirements helps local companies safeguard design, testing, and logistics information critical to national defense. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. Excerpt: Are you ready for the upcoming CMMC certification requirements? As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is uniquely positioned to guide your organization through the complexities of CMMC compliance. With over 25 years of experience, our team of experts can help you prepare for your assessment, conduct gap analyses, and ensure your security frameworks align with the necessary standards. Don’t risk disqualification from vital DoD contracts—contact us today to learn how we can assist you in achieving CMMC certification and safeguarding your business in the defense industrial base. Your path to compliance starts here! ### CMMC Compliance Services - Hartford, CT CMMC Compliance Services - Hartford, (CT) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Hartford (CT) and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Hartford, CTSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Hartford, CTNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Hartford and Connecticut business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Hartford, CTHartford anchors Connecticut’s insurance, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing sectors, making it a key hub for organizations handling sensitive federal and defense-related data. Local contractors and suppliers face increasing CMMC expectations to protect that information across complex supply chains. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Chicago, IL CMMC Compliance Services - Chicago, (IL) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Chicago (IL), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Chicago, ILSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Chicago, ILNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Chicago and Illinois business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Chicago, ILChicago’s diverse economy includes technology, engineering, and manufacturing firms that frequently support federal and defense contracts. Strengthening CMMC compliance enables these organizations to secure sensitive data and remain viable partners across complex government projects. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. Excerpt: Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either: Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit or Prepare the organization for CMMC certification. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Detroit, MI CMMC Compliance Services - Detroit, (MI) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Detroit (MI), and nationwide. The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB). Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Detroit, MI Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either: Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit or Prepare the organization for CMMC certification. The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities. Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Detroit, MI Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Detroit and Michigan business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including: Develop and align critical documentation with one another Conduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failed Consult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategy Conduct mock audits Assist management with their required annual self-assessment Assist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirements Work with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms) CMMC Readiness Assessment Phases Our comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases. Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness. Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations. Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations. Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken. About Schneider Downs As a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process. Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Guide Download our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQs To help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide. What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0?As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC?Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences?For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract?Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171?The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant?Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. CMMC Compliance Services in Detroit, MI Detroit remains a cornerstone of U.S. automotive and defense manufacturing, with many firms contributing to tactical vehicle and mobility programs. CMMC compliance allows these organizations to protect sensitive technical data and remain trusted partners to the DoD. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met.   ### CMMC Compliance Services - Harrisburg, PA CMMC Compliance Services - Harrisburg (PA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Harrisburg (PA), and nationwide. The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB). Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Harrisburg, PA Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either: Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit or Prepare the organization for CMMC certification. The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities. Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Harrisburg, PA Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Harrisburg and Pennsylvania business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including: Develop and align critical documentation with one another Conduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failed Consult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategy Conduct mock audits Assist management with their required annual self-assessment Assist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirements Work with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms) CMMC Readiness Assessment Phases Our comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases. Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness. Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations. Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations. Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken. About Schneider Downs As a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process. Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Guide Download our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQs To help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide. What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. CMMC Compliance Services in Harrisburg, PA Harrisburg’s mix of state government, logistics, and industrial companies creates a strong ecosystem for organizations working with federal and defense partners. Meeting CMMC standards allows these entities to better secure critical data and maintain contract eligibility. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met.   ### CMMC Compliance Services - Philadelphia (PA) CMMC Compliance Services - Philadelphia (PA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Philadelphia (PA), and nationwide. The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB). Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Philadelphia, PA Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either: Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit or Prepare the organization for CMMC certification. The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities. Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Philadelphia, PA Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Philadelphia and Pennsylvania business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including: Develop and align critical documentation with one another Conduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failed Consult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategy Conduct mock audits Assist management with their required annual self-assessment Assist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirements Work with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms) CMMC Readiness Assessment Phases Our comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases. Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness. Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations. Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations. Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken. About Schneider Downs As a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process. Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Guide Download our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQs To help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide. What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. CMMC Compliance Services in Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia is a major hub for engineering, technology, and professional services firms that frequently collaborate with federal agencies and defense contractors. CMMC compliance helps these organizations protect controlled unclassified information and qualify for high-value opportunities. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met.   ### CMMC Compliance Services - Pittsburgh (PA) CMMC Compliance Services - Pittsburgh (PA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Pittsburgh (PA), and nationwide. The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB). Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Pittsburgh, PA Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either: Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit or Prepare the organization for CMMC certification. The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities. Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Pittsburgh, PA Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including: Develop and align critical documentation with one another Conduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failed Consult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategy Conduct mock audits Assist management with their required annual self-assessment Assist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirements Work with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms) CMMC Readiness Assessment Phases Our comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases. Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness. Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations. Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations. Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken. About Schneider Downs As a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process. Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Guide Download our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQs To help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide. What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0?As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC?Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences?For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract?Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171?The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant?Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes: Internal IT networks that handle CUI. Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud). End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI. Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication). Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level. Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as: DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements) DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission) DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk) DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements) If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level. There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract: If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required. If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required. If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. CMMC Compliance Services in Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh’s advanced manufacturing, cyber, and research communities are tightly integrated with defense and federal innovation initiatives. A strong CMMC program helps local organizations secure sensitive information while unlocking new DoD and government opportunities. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met.   ### Everything You Need to Know About HITRUST The Complete Guide to HITRUST: Framework, Certification, and Compliance HITRUST unifies regulatory and industry requirements for managing information risk and protecting sensitive data.What is HITRUST? HITRUST ensures your organization meets the highest standards for protecting sensitive information. The CSF now harmonizes and maps over 50 authoritative sources, including HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, NIST 800 series, GDPR, etc. Based on 3 core principles, HITRUST was created to ensure the following: Improve Data Security Reduce Liability Enhance Customer Trust  Page Index HITRUST is More Than a Compliance CheckboxHITRUST is a risk management framework, but it’s also an organization. The HITRUST Alliance is a private entity that created the Common Security Framework (CSF), a certifiable framework that integrates and harmonizes various standards and regulations. The Alliance also developed supporting certifications (e1, i1, r2, etc.) and the MyCSF® assessment platform, a tool designed to streamline evaluations and reporting. At its core, HITRUST is an information protection standards organization and certifying body. Their mission is to champion programs that safeguard sensitive information and manage information risk for organizations across all industries throughout the third-party supply chain. While the HITRUST CSF is industry-agnostic, it has become the gold standard for healthcare organizations seeking to demonstrate a serious commitment to security, privacy, and compliance.  What Is HITRUST Certification?HITRUST certification serves both as a recognized outcome and a powerful tool for demonstrating trust in an organization’s security and privacy practices. It provides third-party assurance to customers and stakeholders that appropriate safeguards are in place. To achieve this certification, HITRUST offers three core types of assessments, each tailored to an organization’s size, risk profile, and assurance needs. All three assessment types are built on the HITRUST CSF, which integrates and harmonizes requirements from over 100 authoritative sources. These include HIPAA, NIST, COBIT, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR, combined into a single, scalable control framework. This allows organizations to address multiple compliance obligations through one comprehensive assessment.  e1 Assessment (Essential 1-Year) and Certification for Foundational CybersecurityProvides entry-level assurance focused on the most critical cybersecurity controls and demonstrates that essential cybersecurity hygiene is in place 44 controls testing “implementation” scoring only i1 Assessment (Implemented 1-Year) and Certification for Leading Security Practices (2 Years With Rapid Recertification in Year 2)Provides a moderate level of assurance that addresses cybersecurity leading practices and a broader range of active cyber threats than the e1 assessment 182 controls testing “implementation” scoring only r2 Assessment (Risk-Based 2-Year) and Certification for Expanded Practices (With an Interim Assessment in Year 2) Provides a high level of assurance that focuses on a comprehensive risk-based specification of controls with an expanded approach to risk management and compliance evaluation ~375 controls, on average, testing “policy, procedure, and implementation” scoring There are also new AI Security and Risk Management assessments and certifications, as well as the ability to add-on frameworks to the r2 certification and tailor it to your organization’s needs.  Understanding and Evaluating HITRUST Certification Types e1 Assessment (Essential 1-Year) The e1 assessment is the simplest of the three assessments. With 44 control requirements, the e1 assessment lets organizations quickly and efficiently receive a HITRUST certification. The e1 assessment confirms whether the control requirement statements have been implemented. The control requirements for the e1 demonstrate that your organization has reasonably achieved essential cybersecurity hygiene. For the e1 assessment, both readiness and validated assessment options are possible. Many organizations think of the readiness assessment as a stepping-stone for the validated assessment. While there is no certification granted for the readiness assessment, we still generate a report that helps organizations identify and remediate gaps before performing a validated assessment. Upon completion of a validated assessment, a HITRUST certification is received. Given the smaller scope of the e1 assessment, there is limited flexibility for the assessed entity. This is most evident when considering the fact that the certification only lasts 1 year. The assessed entity must also select the most current version of the e1 assessment that is available. Further, the assessed entity does not have the option to tailor the control requirements to cover privacy, information protection regulations (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), or the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework). The e1 assessment lets your organization carve out service providers from testing. Pros of the HITRUST e1 Assessment SummaryOnly 44 control requirements, allowing for a quick and efficient certification process Readiness and validated assessment options possible HITRUST certification granted through the validated assessment Third party service providers can be carved out Cons of the HITRUST e1 Assessment SummaryCertification lasts for 1 year Limited flexibility in tailoring control requirements Shows only essential cybersecurity practices are in place The maturity level tested only shows whether the control requirements have been implemented i1 Assessment (Implemented 1-Year) The i1 assessment is an expansion of the e1 assessment. Covering 182 requirements, the i1 assessment includes the same 44 e1 control requirements, plus another 138. The i1 assessment provides a moderate level of assurance that your organization has implemented leading cybersecurity practices against a broader range of cyber threats when compared to the e1 assessment. Again, both readiness and validated assessment options are possible for the i1 assessment. The i1 assessment offers some further flexibility than the e1 but share many of the same limitations. Like the e1, service providers can be carved out, and control requirements cannot be tailored to cover privacy, information protection regulations, or the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Further, the certification for the validated assessment only lasts for 1 year. Where the i1 offers greater flexibility is in the rapid recertification process. After your organization obtains the i1 certification, for the following year, you can be evaluated based on a selection of i1 requirement statements instead of being tested against all requirement statements again. This reduces the amount of testing required to complete the assessment. The rapid recertification results in the same i1 assessment reports and i1 certification that is valid for one year. To use the rapid recertification process, there must not have been any significant changes to your organization’s control environment since the last i1 assessment. HITRUST defines a significant change as any of the following: Acquisitions, divestures, mergers, or other changes in control of an Assessed Entity where controls over in-scope systems are no longer being operated by the Assessed Entity who originally obtained the certified reportChanges in a “Factor” question response within the validated assessmentChanges in responsibility for performance or oversight of the in-scope control activities (outsourcing, insourcing, or change in service providers)Changing an in-scope system to use a different back-end systemDecommissioning a data center and moving all assets to a different data centerMoving an in-scope facility to a different physical locationMoving an on-premises data center to a public cloud environmentMoving away from an outsourced IT model by standing up an internal IT functionNew functionality in an in-scope platform enabling it to be accessed from a public locationReplacing any of the in-scope platforms that were included in the previous i1 reportPros of the HITRUST i1 Assessment Summary More expansive than the e1 assessment Readiness and validated assessment options possible HITRUST certification granted through the validated assessment Third party service providers can be carved out Rapid Certification process is available after your organization obtains the i1 certification Cons of the HITRUST i1 Assessment Summary More extensive than the e1 assessment Certification lasts for 1 year Limited flexibility in tailoring control requirements Must use the most current version of the assessment at the time of creation The maturity level tested only shows whether the control requirements have been implemented r2 Assessment (Risk-Based 2-Year) The r2 assessment is the most comprehensive of the three assessment types and offers the most flexibility. The r2 assessment encompasses the same control requirements as the e1 and i1 assessments, while also incorporating additional controls based on data volumes handled by your organization, applicable regulatory compliance, and other risk factors relevant to your organization. Further, not only does the r2 assessment test the control requirement implementation status, but it also tests whether a policy or standard is in place for the control and whether the process supports the policy. There are 2 additional maturity levels that can be added as part of a r2 Assessment. The first is “measured,” which looks at whether the control requirement is being tracked and tested by management to ensure the control is operating. The second is “managed,” which looks to see whether necessary corrective actions are being performed on the measured results. The r2 assessment provides a high level of assurance on the design and implementation of the leading cybersecurity practices and additional risk-based controls. As a part of the further flexibility offered by the r2 assessment, the control requirements for the assessment can be tailored to cover privacy and information protection regulations. Upon receiving the r2 certification of a validated assessment, HITRUST will also issue your organization a certification over the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Where flexibility is limited for an r2 assessment is that third party service providers cannot be carved out of testing. Like the e1 and i1 assessments, the r2 offers both a readiness and validated assessment option type. It is not required for your organization to select the most current version of the r2 assessment at the time of assessment creation. Due to the r2 being the most extensive assessment, the certification for the validated assessment lasts for 2 years, but an interim assessment is required after 1 year. The interim assessment takes 1 randomly selected requirement statement from each domain to be fully retested and rescored to ensure that certification requirements are maintained. The interim assessment also reviews any corrective action plans that were identified during the initial testing to ensure that issues were either remediated or that satisfactory progress has occurred. Pros of the HITRUST r2 Assessment Summary Provides the highest level of assurance when compared to the other assessment types Certification lasts for 2 years Interim testing reduces the amount of testing needed for year 2 HITRUST issued certification is provided over the NIST Cyber Security Framework Readiness and validated assessment options possible HITRUST certification granted through the validated assessment The r2 assessment offers 5 levels of maturity to test in policy, process, implementation, measured, and managed (measured and managed are optional) Assessment can be tailored to include privacy and information protection regulations Cons of the HITRUST r2 Assessment Summary Most extensive testing Third party service providers cannot be carved out  HITRUST Assessment Types Pros and Cons Summary Is a HITRUST Certification Economically Worth It?The HITRUST Alliance’s Enterprise Strategy Group conducted a comprehensive analysis to calculate ROI, leveraging proprietary financial models, industry-standard methodologies, and customer-reported data. The analysis applied conservative assumptions to assess the total cost of achieving HITRUST certification, including direct certification expenses and avoided costs. It also quantified a range of potential benefits, such as improved operational efficiency, reduced risk from fewer security breaches, enhanced regulatory compliance, minimized downtime, and incremental revenue opportunities driven by HITRUST certification. By capturing both cost savings and strategic value, the model attempts to provide a holistic view of HITRUST’s overall economic impact. Based on this approach, the Enterprise Strategy Group estimated a staggering 464% ROI for organizations that adopt the HITRUST certification framework. Does HITRUST Certification Reduce Cyber Insurance Costs?Claim:  HITRUST certification allows for avoided costs tied to discounted cyber insurance premiums, including not only lower annual insurance costs but also improved coverage quality and administrative efficiency. Conclusion: Partially True. While exact savings may vary, a growing number of insurance providers, including direct partners of the HITRUST Alliance, are offering reduced premiums for organizations reaching certification in HITRUST r2 validated assessments. However, these discounts are not universally applied, and organizations should not assume automatic reductions. Actual savings will depend on the insurer, broker, industry risk posture, and scope of coverage. Can HITRUST Deliver Operational Efficiency Savings?Claim:  Organizations with HITRUST certifications reported that HITRUST’s structured and comprehensive approach enabled them to reuse documentation across frameworks, minimizing duplication and reducing the effort required for additional assessments. Conclusion: Partially True. The unique combination and consideration of multiple frameworks does make documentation associated with HITRUST certification easier to leverage efforts across other frameworks. This rings especially true for organizations utilizing GRC automation tools such as Vanta or Drata. However, while HITRUST’s framework alignment can streamline evidence reuse, many customers and regulators still require organizations to maintain additional attestations or certifications such as SOC 2, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001. As a result, HITRUST certification alone does not necessarily eliminate the need for parallel compliance efforts, meaning efficiency gains are often incremental rather than absolute. Can HITRUST Certification Reduce the Likelihood of Cyber Incidents?Claim:  Customers with HITRUST certifications reported reduced breach-related costs, minimized regulatory penalties, and avoided downtime. Conclusion: True.* These claims are true for any organization with an elevated security posture, not just those with a HITRUST certification. Previous HITRUST reports have indicated that less than 1% of HITRUST-certified organizations have fallen victim to a cyber event. However, the degree of risk reduction depends heavily on the level of certification pursued, ranging from the baseline e1 (44 requirements), to the more moderate i1 (182 requirements), up to the rigorous r2 assessment (average of ~289 requirements). Each tier reflects a different depth of control maturity and assurance, and while higher-level certifications can provide stronger evidence of security and compliance, they also demand greater investment in time, cost, and operational discipline. Organizations should therefore view HITRUST as one component of a broader risk management strategy rather than a blanket guarantee of protection. Can HITRUST Certification Lead to Incremental Revenue Gains?Claim:  HITRUST certification led to indirect revenue gains, including faster sales cycles due to pre-validated security posture, competitive differentiation in regulated industries, and the ability to command premium pricing in certain contracts. Conclusion: Plausible. This claim is the hardest to quantify; however, the logic is sound. HITRUST certification is an indication of a mature environment and that security is baked into the ethos of the organization. This will often lead to services or products being more marketable and will in-turn increase revenue. It’s kind of like a professional sports team upgrading its training facility. The facility doesn’t win games, but it shows commitment to excellence and attracts top recruits, which ultimately improves performance on the field. Overall Conclusion on Economic Value of Trust: True (Results May Vary)Overall, the benefits outlined within the report are true for all organizations with an elevated security posture. In turn, achieving HITRUST certification does indicate a mature environment and that the organization is security minded. Even if ROI isn’t 464% as the report indicates, it would be hard to deny some of the value provided by the certification as outlined within the report. Preparing for HITRUST and Picking the Right Certification TypeEmbarking on the journey toward HITRUST certification is a crucial step for any organization handling sensitive data, particularly within the healthcare sector. Achieving this benchmark demonstrates a commitment to robust information security and compliance. Build a HITRUST-Ready Program Without the BurnoutTip 1: Use What you Already Have in Place A control overhaul might seem par for the course with each new control framework. With HITRUST, no need to reinvent the wheel, leverage the work your team already does. You likely already have controls in place, just not in HITRUST language. SOC 2? ISO 27001? PCI DSS? Start by leveraging HITRUST’s authoritative source mappings and validate them to your exact controls.Focus on policy maturity, control execution, and audit-ready documentation. Go directly to the source of the certification – the requirement statement’s evaluative elements and their illustrative procedures. These are the answers to the test that you’ll ultimately take as part of the validated assessment (certification). Tip 2: Utilize Automation Automation and repeatability are your best playing mates. Let them help you. Use Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms, ticketing systems, and cloud-native tools to reduce manual effort. Automate alerts, evidence collection, and log reviews where possible. Ensure your external assessor firm is involved in this approach, too. A good firm will be able to relay the discounts that you realize through the efficiencies that you implement. I.e., good automation can lead to reduced assessor fees. Build a documentation repository early. It saves hours if not days later on. Tip 3: Assign Leaders for Each Step Well defined and clearly communicated responsibilities help spread the load and prevent any scrambles to gather evidence or meet deadlines. Designate a project manager or compliance lead. Align specific controls to domain experts (IT, HR, Legal, DevOps).Avoid the burnout that comes from one person trying to “own” it all.Tip 4: Build Your Program One Step at a Time New frameworks can seem daunting – it’s important to remember that every course can be tackled with the right approach. Don’t boil the ocean. Start with foundational domains (Access Control, Change Management, Risk Management, etc.).Use a phased roadmap (90-day increments) with clear progress tracking.Communicate wins early and often to keep stakeholders engaged.Tip 5: Bring in a Pro for the Tough Parts Everyone’s program is different. Know when to consult your third-party or even have a expert build certain steps and processes for you. Internal teams often don’t have bandwidth or HITRUST expertise, and that’s OK! Co-sourcing with a trusted advisor allows your team to stay focused on operations.Advisors bring structure, tools, templates, and proven experience.Play the Long Game Think of HITRUST as your goal; it takes stamina, coordination, and strategy. But with the right processes, your team can navigate it confidently without letting morale or leadership’s patience burn out.  Budgeting for HITRUST: What It Really Costs and How to Optimize What Are Standard HITRUST Contractor Fees?Engaging a HITRUST-certified external assessor firm is an essential component of the certification process. In fact, it’s ultimately required to obtain a certification and validated assessment report. In our professional opinion, it should be the first course of action for an organization considering HITRUST.Your external assessor should be your partner throughout your HITRUST journey, guiding you through the building remodel and beyond. They have the answers to the test that you ultimately have to take and will give you the answers to prepare for that test!External Assessors are a professional service/consulting arrangement, so fees are based on the time and effort they expend. Fees can vary based on the assessment type, organizational size, and complexity of the systems in review.e1 (Entry-level): Readiness Assessment ($15,000–$25,000), Certification and Validated Assessment ($25,000–$45,000)i1 (Intermediate): Readiness Assessment ($20,000–$30,000), Certification and Validated Assessment ($40,000–$80,000)r2 (Comprehensive): Readiness Assessment ($25,000–$45,000+), Certification and Validated Assessment ($60,000–$150,000+)These figures are starting points; actual costs may be higher depending on complexity and scope.Pro Tip: Firms that are transparent about their fees should be able to help you realize discounts as you integrate automation into your control environment and mature your evidence collection and testing processes.Zoning FeesAccess to the MyCSF platform is required for managing the certification process and submitting the validated assessment to HITRUST for QA validation and reporting. You will ultimately need to purchase both a professional subscription (annual) as well as a validated report agreement credit to access the platform.Professional Subscription: $15,000–$30,000+, depending on the number of licenses and any add-on features you includeValidated Assessment Credit: $4,000–$8,000+ (per submission)The subscription level should align with your organization's needs and the assessment type pursued.Please note: Pricing estimates are for illustrative purposes only and subject to change. Official fees must be obtained directly from HITRUST.Internal Resource AllocationInternal costs include staff time for preparation, remediation, and coordination:Readiness Assessment and Remediation Efforts: Variable, based on identified gapsOngoing Maintenance: Continuous investment to uphold standardsUsing a 100-person healthcare technology organization as an example, the internal effort required is a critical factor in achieving a successful certification outcome. On average, first-time certifications demand approximately the following internal FTE or contracted vendor hours:e1: 150–300 hoursi1: 250–500 hoursr2: 300–600+ hoursAssuming the certification scope remains consistent, the internal effort typically decreases in year two and beyond as efficiencies are realized.Key Strategies to Optimize HITRUST Certification CostsWith the help of an experienced contractor, savings can be found and, as always, planning is key!1. Phased Readiness ApproachImplementing a phased approach allows organizations to tackle the certification process in manageable segments:Phase 1: Conduct a readiness assessment to identify gapsPhase 2: Address remediation efforts systematicallyPhase 3: Undergo the validated assessmentThis structured method can lead to more efficient resource utilization and cost savings.2. Leverage Automation ToolsWork with your contractor to reduce manual control testing and develop custom automated control techniques. Additionally, consider utilizing compliance automation platforms, which can streamline evidence collection, control mapping, and reducing manual efforts and associated costs.3. Align Scope with Business NeedsClearly defining the scope of the assessment to include only necessary systems and processes can prevent unnecessary expenditures and focus efforts where they are most impactful.Securing Leadership and Financial Buy-InProject costs add up fast, and it’s important to prepare stakeholders upfront.1. Present a Clear Business CaseArticulate the value of HITRUST certification in terms of risk mitigation, market competitiveness, and regulatory compliance to garner executive support.2. Develop a Detailed Budget and TimelineProviding a comprehensive plan with projected costs and timelines can build confidence among stakeholders and facilitate resource allocation.3. Highlight Long-Term BenefitsEmphasize how certification can lead to long-term savings by reducing the likelihood of data breaches and associated penalties.Building Better with PartnershipProjects can be unpredictable, costly, and time-intensive. When working on new projects, that is even more so the case and, for that reason, it’s important to have a partner who has been there before. A partner that is open, honest, and upfront with everything will best prepare your project to proceed.7 Key Steps to Building a Successful HITRUST ProgramCertification requires a rigorous, evidence-based process that requires planning, cross-functional coordination, and genuine readiness. Certification isn’t simply given. It’s earned. The journey through HITRUST certification is demanding, sometimes exhausting, often consuming, but it is also clarifying. It forces organizations to surface what was once hidden, to harden what was once fragile, to coordinate what was once fragmented. And when the final report is issued, those who have endured know they’ve done more than check the box, they’ve survived a campaign and earned a seal that speaks of both credibility and grit. Step 1: Procure an Experienced TranslatorHITRUST has its own language and if you don’t speak it, you’re traveling abroad without a reliable translator. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in a foreign country without a card showing your hotel address in different languages, and you wouldn’t want to get caught roaming the vast lands of the HITRUST CSF without a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor. After all, they’re the one who ultimately submits validated assessments to HITRUST for quality review. That means they know the answers to the test that you will have to pass to obtain certification. Engaging an external assessor firm early on in your journey will save you and your team days of wandering unfamiliar areas for a semblance of familiarity. Step 2: Define Scope and ObjectivesWhat systems, data, and services are in scope? While this is a seemingly simple first question, it is everything. In fact, for experienced external assessors, it’s only the first instance in which this question will be asked. It continues to be revisited time and time again throughout your HITRUST journey to ensure you’re doing the right amount of assurance – not too little nor too much. Is certification motivation driven by prospective or current customer demands, market positioning and enablement, or internal maturity factors? What level of assurance do you need? Minimal, moderate, or high? Choose your assessment type (e1, i1, r2, etc.) – check out our more detailed breakdown of the assessment types here. Know that many organizations treat the e1, i1, r2 certifications like a maturity ladder. It benefits your organization to do so, as with each step in the ladder you will experience more. More controls, more attributes, more associated fees – with the same rigor. So, start small if you can and get good at the basics like anything else. If you end up choosing the r2 path, you will be subject to a more elaborate  scoping process where a handful of additional scoping factors (Organizational, Technical, Regulatory, etc.) are necessary to tailor your assessment. Phase Time Length: This phase is generally completed in a matter of weeks but does require some technical validation of your infrastructure and systems. Step 3: Readiness AssessmentBefore a validated assessment (certification), most organizations complete a readiness phase to: Perform a gap analysis against HITRUST CSF controls and identify missing policies, procedures, and technical proof. This is where you’ll work through the questions on the test to explain how you’ll answer it come validated assessment time. It’s a full walkthrough of your game plan, packed with a playbook on how to handle inevitable audibles in the thick of auditor testing. Prioritize remediation tasks by effort and risk. Controls are required to be “implemented” for 60-90 days, depending on the type of control, prior to initiating a validated assessment period. That is what HITRUST refers to as the “Incubation Period.” Therefore, it’s important to prioritize gap remediation to ensure your roadmap can be accomplished as efficiently as possible. Assessors should also be able to identify required gaps vs optional enhancements. The enhancement are things that are nice to have in the future, but not necessary to achieve compliance and certification now. Phase Time Length: This phase generally takes anywhere from 1 to 3 months, depending on the complexities of your infrastructure and systems. Remediate and AlignThis is where the heavy lifting happens. You’re now armed with the honey-do list of gaps to close, along with a prioritized roadmap. This phase is about executing the plan and checking back with your audit partner to ensure you did it the right way. In this phase, you will: Update or develop formal documentation – policies, procedures, standards, etc. Templates go a long way and good audit partner firms will have a library to get you started. Implement technical safeguards (MFA, logging & monitoring, encryption, etc.). This is a wide-ranging task, based on the number and type(s) of gaps previously identified. It could be as simple as enabling a dormant configuration to be as extensive as implementing a new SDLC process and supporting systems. Assign control owners, prepare evidence for each control, and align with your external assessor firm on its completeness and accuracy. Consider this an extension of the gap assessment that was previously completed to further validate that your newly remediated gaps are indeed remediated in the manner they’ll be tested. Develop testing efficiencies to allow for automated evidence collection and evaluation. Consider how you can integrate compliance and security operations in a continuous, systematic way, moving beyond point-in-time assessments to a model of continuous monitoring and risk mitigation. Good external assessor firms will be able to realize these efficiencies and relay discounts based on their own reduced audit efforts. Step 4: 90-Day Incubation PeriodOnce all of your readiness gaps have been closed and “implemented” (Congrats!) you get a free 90-day vacation. Well, sort of… HITRUST requires a 90-day “incubation period” for controls to be implemented (or 60 days for policies/procedures), before you can officially start your 90-examination period. In practice, you can begin that 90-day incubation clock as soon as the last gap is closed. During this period of peace, it’s the perfect opportunity to book that HITRUST QA reservation. Once your assessment is scoped and loaded into MyCSF, you’ll be able to reserve a date on the HITRUST QA Team’s calendar, much like that of an online dinner reservation (the kind of one that takes your credit card preauthorization). This is a key step to ensure you meet your timeline as the HITRUST QA Team’s availability fluctuates based on demand. You don’t want to overpromise your delivery date if the QA team can’t meet your needs. Additionally, the assessed entity can begin to work with the external assessor to preload MyCSF. While most of the controls will require time-stamped evidence from within your 90-day examination period, there’s still plenty your teams can do ahead of time to make the examination period run more smoothly.  This includes tasks like: Answering all pre-assessment questions, organization information, assessment options, assessment scope, scoping factorDrafting all requirement statements and completing the validated report agreement Validating your internal documentation paths to ensure smooth and possibly automated evidence collection Step 5: The Validated Assessment – The Battle of the CSFThe fog thickens, and the march turns into an open battle. This is the validated assessment, the clash of intent versus reality. Here, the External Assessor performs fieldwork and tests whether your claims survive contact with scrutiny. Performing Validation: The assessor validates pre-assessment scores, links required documents, executes the test plan, and completes the QA checklist. Time sheets, audit trails, and the representation letter become weapons and shields. This is where most of the hours are spent. Performing validation is the most grueling part of the campaign: assessors spend days and weeks combing through evidence, re-scoring pre-assessment judgments, and linking every screenshot, configuration, and attestation to the framework. The test plan drives hundreds of small exchanges, including requests for logs, clarification emails, system demos, and each one consumes time from both the assessment team and internal staff. Assessment Results Review: Once the bulk of validation is complete, the work shifts to the assessment results review. The entity and assessor sit shoulder-to-shoulder to acknowledge findings, accepting victories and recording wounds. Inputting Corrective Action Plans (CAPS) & Signing Rep Letter: CAPS are carved into the record, a pledge that gaps will not be left unguarded. The management representation letter is signed like a commander’s oath. Reviewing CAPs: The assessor validates these commitments, ensuring every promise is backed by real action. This is no longer theory on paper. It is proof standing under fire. The validated assessment reveals not just the state of your controls, but the strength of your coordination under pressure. Step 6: HITRUST Quality Assurance Review – Trial by FireWith the assessment complete, the campaign now passes to final judgment. Your file advances to HITRUST, where a tribunal dissects *a sample of* every word, every score, every justification. This is the trial by fire, a distant but unyielding review where survival depends on precision. Performing Check-In: HITRUST performs automated quality assurance (QA) checks, scanning for inconsistencies in documents and evidence. Addressing Check-In Tasks: If issues arise, new tasks are hurled back like flaming arrows, the entity and assessor must respond timely. Reviewing Pending Check-In Tasks: HITRUST evaluates the fixes. If gaps remain, the engagement loops again until resolution. Only when the defenses hold does the assessment move forward: Pending QA: The assessment sits in waiting, queued for its reserved QA block. Performing QA: The QA Analyst begins the full, impartial review of ratings, citations, and evidence under the microscope. This includes a review of a sample of control requirements in a live screen-sharing session with the External Assessor team. In this live session, the control references are randomly selected immediately before the call and the External Assessor team shares their screen and walks the HITRUST QA Analyst through each evaluative element and the associated evidence for each sampled control requirement. Escalated QA: If numerous and/or severe concerns are identified during QA, the Escalated QA phase will be triggered. This warrants an additional, internal review conducted by the HITRUST quality team and is more intensive than the standard QA process. Common reasons for Escalated QA include significant scoring inaccuracies, insufficient evidence to prove implementation, lack of rigor or testing inaccuracies, or extensive gaps. Addressing QA Tasks: More tasks may follow; remediation and clarification continue under fire. Only when every task is closed does the review advance. But the gauntlet is not finished. Reports must be drafted, revised, and approved: HITRUST prepares and executives review the draft deliverables; the entity approves or requests revisions. Additional drafts, revisions, and reporting tasks cycle through until every open question is resolved. This trial by fire is slow, relentless, and impartial. It demands not just accuracy, but endurance. The patience to close loop after loop until applicable weaknesses are fully understood. Step 7: Certification and Beyond – the Standard of TrustFinally, the verdict: certification is granted… or… not. Regardless, a validated assessment report is published, with it’s certifying decision one way or the other. On the one hand, The Standard of Trust earned. On the other, Trust may cease to exist for now. But the journey does not end here, it changes form. Certification is not a trophy to display; it is a banner raised over your organization, a signal to the market that you have endured and can be trusted. Validity: 1 year for e1 and i1 and two for the r2. Interim reviews and recertifications loom on the horizon. Continuous Vigilance: New controls, new threats, new regulations will arise. Certification is not the end of war but the beginning of stewardship. Sustained Discipline: Prepare for each cycle as if it were your first; remediate continuously; embed resilience into the daily rhythm of operations. Those who treat certification as a finish line often falter; those who treat it as a campaign standard to uphold lead their industries forward with credibility and strength. Certification is a call to remain vigilant, to adapt as threats evolve, and to prove, again and again, that trust is not a point in time, but a posture of resilience. 3 Common Myths About HITRUSTHITRUST Is Just HIPAA With Extra StepsThat’s like saying private health insurance is just Medicare with extra steps. HIPAA is a law. HITRUST is both an organization and a certifiable framework that maps to HIPAA but goes far beyond it. The HITRUST CSF integrates requirements from numerous standards and regulations, offering a comprehensive approach to risk management. Only Large Enterprise Companies Need HITRUSTNews flash: large enterprises do not assess third-party risk based solely on your revenue or employee count. If you process electronic protected health information (ePHI) on their behalf, they care about your security posture regardless of your size. Fortunately, HITRUST offers assessment types like e1 and i1 that are designed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. HITRUST Is Just a Compliance CheckboxThis phrase alone will be sure to set off some Governance, Risk management, and Compliance (GRC) professionals. Organizations that treat compliance as a box to check often struggle or fall short. HITRUST is about maturity, not minimalism. It focuses on building a resilient security and privacy program that can evolve with threats and regulations. Why You Might Wait for HITRUSTLet’s be honest. HITRUST is not a one-size-fits-all solution. But if you operate in healthcare or a related field, especially if you handle (e)PHI, it might be exactly the trust signal your organization needs. You should consider HITRUST if: Your clients or prospects are asking for it.Many large healthcare organizations and insurers require or strongly prefer HITRUST certification. You are juggling multiple audits.HITRUST can streamline compliance by aligning with frameworks such as HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI, NIST, and ISO. You are scaling your business.Expanding into new markets or launching new services? HITRUST shows that you take security and privacy seriously. You want to stand out.In a crowded and regulated market, HITRUST can serve as a strong differentiator. You Might Wait for HITRUST IfYou are a small operation without immediate compliance needs. Your clients are not requesting HITRUST, and your current framework is sufficient. If you are considering HITRUST, start by evaluating your organization’s needs and the expectations of your clients. Engage stakeholders across departments to understand the scope and impact. HITRUST certification is a long-term investment. It requires coordination, a clear understanding of your risk environment, and ongoing commitment across internal and external teams. Approach it as a journey and trust the process. How Can Schneider Downs Help?  As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. HITRUST ResourcesEvaluating HITRUST Certifications: e1, i1 and r2Compare HITRUST Assessment TypesThe HITRUST Journey: 7 Steps to Expect Before You CertifiyDemystifying HITRUST: A Practical Path to Clarity and CertificationContact Us Form  Contact Our HITRUST Team Excerpt: Unlock the secrets to robust information security with HITRUST certification! This comprehensive framework not only harmonizes over 50 regulatory standards but also enhances your organization’s data protection, reduces liability, and builds customer trust. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, understanding the nuances of HITRUST assessments—e1, i1, and r2—can transform your approach to compliance. Dive into our complete guide to discover how to prepare effectively, optimize costs, and navigate the certification process with confidence. Don’t just check a box; elevate your security posture and stand out in a crowded market! ### SD Digital LumenFI LumenFI From Data to Decisions in Seconds with our AI-Powered Digital Finance Companion Every CFO knows the pain of traditional reporting: endless emails, disparate spreadsheets, slow cycles, and overloaded teams that delay decisions. In today’s fast-moving environment, leaders cannot afford to wait weeks for answers while opportunities and risks unfold in real time. The challenge is not only speed but also confidence. Too often, traditional reporting leaves leaders questioning whether they have the full story, forcing them to react after the fact instead of leading with foresight.LumenFI helps organizations see the best path forward with their financial data, illuminating insights that accelerate smarter decisions. Built on the Microsoft stack many organizations already use, it empowers CFOs to engage with their data in plain language and unlock insights in seconds. By eliminating ad hoc reporting and embedding intelligence into familiar tools, it ensures that financial data is clear, governed, and actionable across the organization.LumenFI transforms finance from a reporting function into a strategic driver of growth, equipping leaders to anticipate opportunities, mitigate risks, and deliver measurable bottom line impact with clarity and confidence. Your Finance Team, Reimagined with AI With LumenFI, access to financial insights moves at the speed of business. Think of it as your AI-empowered finance team, always available, continuously learning, and integrated through Microsoft Teams to deliver insights when you need them. Together, they cover the core areas of finance with focused expertise:Accounts ReceivableOversees collections and monitors customer payment trendsAccounts PayableManages obligations and improves payment efficiencyOrchestrationActs as the executive of your AI team, ensuring governance, accuracy, and alignment across all responsesRevenueProvides topline insights and supports forecasting accuracyAlways on and accurate, LumenFi transforms data into foresight, giving leaders the confidence to shape strategy, drive performance, and deliver measurable impact.The Benefits of AI-Powered Financial ReportingBeyond financial functions, our AI-powered finance solution delivers real-time, governed insights that make financial data clear, actionable, and secure, all within the Microsoft platform where your business already works.Collaboration in Microsoft Teams and 365 Copilot for faster alignment across the businessFlexible outputs in Excel, email, Teams, or board-ready visualsImmediate answers with natural language queriesReduced workload by eliminating backlogs of ad hoc requestsStreamlined setup that strengthens your data foundationWith these capabilities, finance leaders gain immediate, actionable insights that drive clarity, speed, and confidence in every decision.Ready to Meet LumenFI? Contact UsAbout SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.     SD Digital Resources SD Digital Solutions Overview LumenFI Overview Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? 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One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? 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There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Smith-Goshen Royalty Class Action Website UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO | CASE NO. 2:21-cv-3999 Main Menu Contact UsImportant DocumentsSettlement AgreementOrder Granting Preliminary ApprovalSettlement NoticeMotion for Attorneys’ Fees, Litigation Expenses, & Service AwardsJoint Declaration of Class Counsel in Support of Motion for Attorneys’ Fees, Litigation Costs, & Service Awards Welcome to the officialSmith-Goshen Royalty Class Action website WHAT IS THIS CLASS ACTION ABOUT?Plaintiffs raised issues related to the calculation of royalty payments made by Defendants, deductions of Post-Production Costs by Defendants, and the stratigraphic depths granted to Defendants. A Settlement has been proposed between Class Counsel and the Defendants and preliminarily approved by the Court pursuant to which settlement payments will be made to members of the proposed Settlement Class.Please read the Notice.PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY. It impacts your rights and provides you with information regarding a class action lawsuit over royalty payments on oil and gas mineral leases in Ohio against Rice Drilling D, LLC, EQT Production Company, EQT Energy, LLC, and EQT Corporation (collectively, the “Defendants”). Your legal rights are affected whether or not you take action.The Settlement will pay money to those who receive this Notice and are Class Members, as well as fees and expenses for the Class Counsel and an incentive award to Dorothy Bowman, Maple Ridge Farm, LLC, and OK Ridge Farm, LLC for acting as the Class Representative as approved by the Court.YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENTDo NothingIf you do nothing, received the Settlement Notice in the mail, and are identified by the Claim Administrator as a Class Member, you will receive a Claim Form and Benefit Notice automatically if the Court approves the Settlement, which is scheduled for hearing on January 22, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio located at 85 Marconi Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43215. To get paid, Class Members must sign the Claim Form and Benefit Notice and release their right to sue the Defendants for the same legal claims as in this case.Provide Additional InformationComplete the Class Membership Form you receive in the mail, included as Exhibit 1 on the Settlement Notice attached to this page, or submit electronically below. By doing so, you will be assisting the Settlement Administrator with determining whether you are a Class Member. The Class Membership Form is optional, and is not required to be a Class Member or receive payment if you are identified as a Class Member by the Settlement Administrator.Object/CommentWrite to us as the Settlement Administrator, including the information requested within the Settlement Notice you receive in the mail or attached to this page, if have an objection and request the Court not to approve the Settlement.Go to the HearingAsk to speak in Court about the fairness of the Settlement. Deadlines Contained in the Settlement Notice YOU MAY: DUE DATE: Submit a Class Membership Form Postmarked by: November 21, 2025 Exclude Yourself From The Settlement Postmarked by: November 21, 2025 Object To The Settlement Postmarked by: November 21, 2025 Request To Appear At The Fairness Hearing Postmarked by: November 21, 2025 Return Your Signed Ratification Postmarked by: 90 days after checks are mailed Settlement Administrator James H. Rumph, CPASchneider Downs & Co., Inc.65 E. State Street, Suite 2000Columbus, OH 43215settlementadmin@schneiderdowns.com(412) 697-5030 ### In Memoriam: John Null It is with profound sadness that the Schneider Downs family shares the news of the passing of our beloved colleague, friend, advisor, and mentor, John Null, who left us on Friday, September 5th.John's kindness, wisdom, and unwavering dedication made an indelible impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him—colleagues, clients, and professional contacts alike. He was a cherished presence, extending his warmth and generosity beyond the boundaries of his work.John had a special gift for nurturing relationships, transforming professional connections into lasting friendships. Every meeting with him began with a smile, and his constant optimism was a source of light and upliftment for those around him. He will be missed.During this time of grief, we extend our deepest condolences to John’s family, friends, and loved ones. Our thoughts are with them as they navigate through this difficult period. ### Stirring Growth Columbus Manufacturing Stirring Growth:Conversations, Cocktails & Columbus Manufacturing Date: October 7, 2025Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Location: The Junto – 77 Belle St, Columbus, OH 43215Join us for an exclusive Manufacturing Event that promises to be both informative and entertaining.The manufacturing industry is a cornerstone of the Columbus, Ohio, economy, driving growth and innovation across the region. This sector not only provides a significant number of jobs but also contributes to the economic stability and development of our community. With a robust pipeline of industrial projects, Columbus is poised to continue its legacy of excellence in manufacturing. This event is a show of appreciation for your continued efforts to keep our region at the forefront of manufacturing.   Additionally, we are honored to have the Interim President of One Columbus, Matt McCollister, who will be speaking about the following key topics:The presence of industrial projects in our project pipelineThe impact the industrial sector has had on our regional economyKey items we are monitoring that could positively or negatively impact future industrial growthThis event will also feature a special session where you'll learn how to manufacture the perfect cocktail or mocktail. Our professional mixologist will guide you through the art of crafting delicious and visually stunning drinks. Whether you're a cocktail enthusiast or prefer non-alcoholic options, this session has something for everyone.   Please RSVP by September 30, 2025. ### Dinner with the Doctors Please RSVP for our Dinner with the Doctors Event Below! When: October 21st, 2025, 6:00-8:00pm ET Location: The Conference Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Allen Auditorium, 520 Butterfly Gardens Columbus, OH 43215 Details: You and a guest are cordially invited to an exclusive evening with Dr. Maryam Fouladi, a world-renowned leader in pediatric neuro-oncology and a driving force behind groundbreaking clinical trials and global collaborations in childhood cancer research. Join us for a private dinner where you'll have the rare opportunity to: Connect personally with Dr. Fouladi, Co-Executive Director of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Gain insider insight into the future of pediatric cancer care and the transformative work happening at Nationwide Children’s. Explore meaningful ways to support one of our community’s most vital institutions. This intimate gathering is designed to foster conversation, connection, and a shared commitment to advancing care for children and families in need. Host: Schneider Downs Contact (Registering/Technical Issues): Lindsay Sherrill   Columbus Dinner with the Doctors Event Name(Required) First Last Company/Organization(Required)Job Title(Required)Email(Required) Are you planning on bringing a guest?(Required) Yes No Guest Name(Required) First Last Do you have any dietary restrictions?(Required) Yes No Dietary RestrictionsCAPTCHA Submit   ### Women's Golf Outing Schneider Downs Women's Golf Outing Join the Schneider Downs Consulting team for a day of golf!Ready your swing for an 18-hole scramble, hosted by the Schneider Downs consulting team!Registration starts at 9:00 AM, and golf will begin at 9:30 AM.Contact Carley Taslov with any questions.Please RSVP by September 5, 2025. Please RSVP by September 5, 2025. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* CAPTCHAEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Active Directory Security Assessment Active Directory Security Assessment Strengthen Active Directory Security and Compliance Against Cyber Threats In today's digital landscape, cyber threats are increasingly targeting the core infrastructure of organizations, making the security of your Active Directory (AD) environment more critical than ever.Schneider Downs’ Active Directory Security Assessment service provides a thorough evaluation of your AD setup, identifying vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and potential attack vectors.Our comprehensive assessment helps organizations pinpoint risks, address security gaps, and enhance their overall security posture. By taking proactive measures, you can reduce exposure to cyberattacks, safeguard sensitive data, and ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices.Trust Schneider Downs to strengthen your Active Directory security and help maintain business continuity in the face of evolving cyber threats.What to Expect from Active Directory Security AssessmentsAlignment with compliance requirements, reducing legal and operational risks.Detailed analysis of AD configurations to identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.Enhanced confidence in your organization’s ability to protect critical systems and data.Tailored recommendations to fortify your AD environment against modern threats. Core Assessment Components Account and Credential SecurityCredential ExposurePrivileged Account Risks.Stale and Inactive AccountsWeak Password PoliciesObject and System HygieneObsolete ObjectsReplication Topology IssuesSchema MisconfigurationsUnpatched SystemsDomain Trust and Relationship IntegrityDomain Controller ExposureInsecure Trust ConfigurationsKerberos Trust VulnerabilitiesLegacy Protocol RisksPolicy and Configuration AssuranceAudit and Logging GapsEncryption and Protocol SecurityGroup Policy WeaknessesSecurity Descriptor Risks How Active Directory Security Assessments WorkAdvanced Mapping of Attack Vectors: Identify critical risks such as privilege escalation and lateral movement within your AD environment.Clear, Prioritized Report: Receive a detailed report outlining findings, risks, and remediation strategies to strengthen security.Collaborative Assessment: Work with your IT team to understand your AD environment’s size, complexity, and role, ensuring a tailored approach.Compliance Checks: Ensure your AD environment meets industry standards like NIST, CIS, or HIPAA, keeping you audit-ready.Comprehensive Review: Examine group policies, user permissions, and trust relationships to identify exploitable weaknesses in your AD setup.Ongoing Security Insights: Gain best practices for maintaining AD security with ongoing monitoring and configuration updates.Post-Assessment Meetings: Discuss findings, answer technical questions, and receive support for implementing recommended changes.Why Schneider Downs?Commitment to Success: We are dedicated to your success and believe that protecting individuals’ information is essential for the greater good.Deep Expertise in Active Directory Security: Our team’s extensive experience in secure AD configurations spans various industries and includes formal federal government service.Informed Remediation Strategy: We leverage insights from Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) investigations to guide your team on where to focus time and resources.Ready to get started? Contact the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com.Experiencing or suspect a cloud security incident?Contact the Schneider Downs Incident Response Team at 1-800-993-8937.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Continuous Cybersecurity Framework Assessments Continuous Cybersecurity Framework Assessments Build Cyber Resilience Through Continuous Security Framework Assessments Just as a coach drives performance improvement, a cybersecurity auditor challenges your organization to move beyond risk and toward lasting resilience.In today’s constantly evolving threat environment, one-time security assessments no longer provide sufficient protection. Organizations need continuous oversight to defend against advanced cyber threats and ensure long-term compliance.The Schneider Downs Continuous Framework Assessment delivers an ongoing evaluation of your security posture using industry-recognized standards, including NIST CSF 2.0 and CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1. This year-round service helps organizations maintain a proactive security stance, demonstrate sustained compliance, and confidently respond to emerging risks. Our service provides real-time insights and actionable steps for continuous improvement into your organization’s security maturity and compliance status. Through continuous monitoring and analysis, we help identify control gaps, prioritize remediation, and validate the effectiveness of your security controls over time.Aligned With Your Business Goals and Risk ProfileWhether you’re aiming to meet regulatory requirements or strengthen your cybersecurity posture, our approach aligns technical controls with your unique business objectives and risk tolerance. We provide actionable insights that support strategic decisions to align your business goals and risk profile.What to Expect from Continuous Framework AssessmentsAutomated monitoring and validation of key security controls between assessmentsComprehensive baseline and periodic assessments against NIST CSF 2.0 or CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1Enhanced confidence in your organization's ability to withstand evolving threatsPrioritized remediation guidance with clear implementation roadmapsQuarterly progress reports with executive dashboards and technical details Core Continuous Framework Assessment Components Continuous ImprovementControl Gap Remediation TrackingFramework Evolution AdaptationProcess Maturity AdvancementSecurity Metrics and KPI DashboardsTechnical Control ImplementationData Protection ControlsDetection and Monitoring CapabilitiesIdentity and Access ManagementInfrastructure Security ArchitectureGovernance and Risk ManagementFramework Selection and CustomizationLeadership Reporting and OversightRisk Assessment and TreatmentSecurity Policy AdherenceOperational Program EffectivenessIncident Response ReadinessSecurity Awareness Program MaturityThird-Party Risk ValidationVulnerability Management Lifecycle What to Expect from Continuous Framework AssessmentsBaseline Security Assessment: We begin with a comprehensive evaluation against your chosen framework to establish a security maturity baseline and identify key areas for improvement.Continuous Control Monitoring: Our team monitors critical controls using automated tools and manual validation to maintain consistent compliance between formal assessments.Risk Exposure and ROI Measurement: We use advanced metrics and industry benchmarks to quantify risk exposure and show the value of your cybersecurity investments over time.Quarterly Security Reports: Each quarter, you receive detailed reports with executive summaries, technical findings, and a living roadmap that evolves with your security program.Ongoing Threat and Remediation Reviews: Scheduled sessions throughout the year help evaluate threat trends, track remediation progress, and adjust priorities as needed.Compliance Validation: Our assessments include continuous validation against relevant regulations like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and GLBA to support ongoing compliance.Actionable Security Guidance: Beyond identifying gaps, we deliver practical guidance on implementation, resource allocation, and process improvements to strengthen your defenses.Why Schneider Downs?Our assessment methodology is built on years of experience implementing and evaluating security frameworks across diverse industries and organizational sizes.Our team provides clear, plain-language guidance that bridges the gap between technical requirements and business operations.We leverage insights from our Digital Forensics and Incident Response investigations to align your security controls with real-world attack patterns and emerging threats.We maintain independence while acting as trusted partners, ensuring objective assessments while working collaboratively toward your security goals.Experiencing or Suspect a Cloud Security Incident?Contact the Schneider Downs Incident Response Team at 1-800-993-8937About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### vCISO vCISO Executive Strategy and Expertise for Risk Management and Business Resilience In today’s digital landscape, where cyber threats grow more advanced and regulatory requirements constantly shift, organizations need more than just technical controls, they need a trusted cybersecurity partner.We provide strategic cybersecurity guidance with executive-level expertise to help organizations manage risk and drive long-term value. Our consulting integrates risk assessments, policy development, security architecture, and framework alignment to strengthen cyber posture. We support both executive and operational levels to ensure compliance, build resilience, and foster a security-first culture. Over time, we help improve cybersecurity maturity model assessments (e.g., CMMI for cybersecurity), training, processThe goal is to turn cybersecurity from a technical challenge into a strategic business asset, ensuring alignment with your broader organizational objectives.The Value of Experienced Cybersecurity Professionals and ExecutivesA strong security posture capable of handling evolving modern threats.Closer alignment with industry standards and regulations, which reduces legal and financial risks.Enhancement of organizational preparedness through security-focused training both for experienced technical professionals and your everyday enterprise user.Objectivity in advisory roles, avoiding conflicts of interest.How We WorkCybersecurity Onboarding: We begin with interviews and a detailed review of your current cybersecurity program to set realistic goals and build a roadmap for long-term maturity.Strategic Advisory & Planning: Our team develops a prioritized project plan based on the specific risks your organization aims to mitigate.Cybersecurity Framework Advancement: We guide your team through recognized cybersecurity frameworks to improve security posture and support business enablement.Bi-Weekly Strategy Meetings: Regular sessions cover current threats, project prioritization, and both technical and non-technical questions to keep initiatives on track.Active Directory Security Review: We perform a comprehensive technical assessment of Active Directory, identifying misconfigurations that often serve as entry points for attackers.Annual Tabletop Exercise (TTX): We facilitate a yearly TTX to test your Incident Response Plan (IRP), helping fulfill cyber insurance and framework requirements while improving real-world readiness.Policy Evaluation & Development: We assess your existing cybersecurity policies and assist with drafting or revising documents to meet compliance and operational needs.Ongoing Threat Intelligence Sharing: Stay ahead of emerging threats with curated Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) updates tailored to your industry and risk profile.Why Schneider Downs? Our holistic approach addresses every aspect of cybersecurity governance, from strategic planning to operational oversight, to help you build lasting resilience.Our team brings deep cybersecurity strategy expertise across diverse industries and formal federal government service.We tailor cybersecurity transformation efforts to fit your organization’s unique needs, capabilities, and team size.Experiencing or Suspect a Network Incident?Contact the Schneider Downs Incident Response Team at 1-800-993-8937About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Threat Hunting Threat Hunting Proactive Human-Led Threat Detection That Maximizes Existing Security Investments Just as a skilled hunter reads the forest for subtle signs of prey, a cyber threat hunter analyzes quiet signals across your network to detect and stop malicious activity before it escalates.In today’s fast-evolving threat landscape, sophisticated attackers can remain hidden for months, gathering data and preparing for high-impact attacks. Traditional security tools alone often fail to detect these stealthy intrusions in time.The Schneider Downs Threat Hunting service delivers proactive, human-led investigations that uncover advanced threats often missed by automated systems. By applying hypothesis-driven techniques and combining your existing security infrastructure with our proprietary detection capabilities, we identify malicious activity before it impacts your business. Whether you're responding to suspicious behavior or conducting routine threat hunts to strengthen your cybersecurity posture, our service is tailored to meet your specific needs.Benefits of Threat Hunting Services for ClientSignificantly reduced dwell time for adversaries through early threat detectionEnhanced utilization of existing security investments (EDR, SIEM, etc.)Detailed insights into adversarial tactics operating in your environmentActionable remediation recommendations to strengthen defenses  Our Threat Hunting Process Endpoint and Network AnalysisFileless malware detectionLiving-off-the-land technique identificationLateral movement patternsPersistence mechanism discoveryData and Asset ProtectionData exfiltration attemptsSensitive asset targetingCommand and control activitiesDestructive action preparationIdentity and Access MonitoringCredential theft detectionPrivilege escalation identificationAuthentication anomaliesAccess abuse patternsAdvanced Threat IntelligenceEmerging threat incorporationIndustry-specific targeting patternsKnown adversary technique matchingCustom threat hypothesis development  What to Expect from Threat HuntingAdversary-Focused Hunting: Our threat hunters operate under the assumption that advanced threats may already exist in your network, using intelligence-driven hypotheses tailored to your industry and risk profile.Behavior-Based Threat Detection: Instead of relying solely on known indicators of compromise (IOCs), we focus on identifying suspicious behavior patterns that signal potential threats, regardless of the tools used.Collaboration and Knowledge Transfer: Our experts work directly with your internal security team, strengthening your organization's detection capabilities through ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing.Comprehensive Threat Hunt Reporting: Every engagement concludes with a detailed report that includes findings, evidence of malicious activity (if discovered), and clear, prioritized remediation recommendations.Evolving Detection Framework: Each threat hunt builds on previous insights, continuously refining a detection strategy tailored to your unique environment and evolving threats.Flexible Threat Hunting Options: Choose between targeted, one-time threat hunts to investigate specific concerns or schedule quarterly hunts to maintain a strong, proactive cybersecurity posture.Maximize Existing Security Investments: We leverage your current security tools—such as EDR, SIEM, and other technologies—and enhance them with our proprietary threat detection capabilities to close critical gaps. Why Schneider Downs?Combining expert analysis with advanced tools, we deliver broad threat coverage with efficient resource use.Our threat hunting team blends offensive and defensive expertise to understand attacker behavior and uncover hidden threats.Unlike alert-driven services, our team proactively hunts for threats that security tools often miss.We leverage experience from hundreds of incident responses to anticipate and outmaneuver advanced threats. Experiencing or Suspect a Cloud Security Incident?Contact the Schneider Downs Incident Response Team at 1-800-993-8937 About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Cookie Policy COOKIE POLICYLast updated July 25, 2025This Cookie Policy explains how Schneider Downs ("Company," "we," "us," and "our") uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our website at https://schneiderdowns.com ("Website"). It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them.In some cases we may use cookies to collect personal information, or that becomes personal information if we combine it with other information.What are cookies?Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Schneider Downs ) are called "first-party cookies." Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third-party cookies." Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., advertising, interactive content, and analytics). The parties that set these third-party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.Why do we use cookies?We use first- and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies. Other cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Online Properties. Third parties serve cookies through our Website for advertising, analytics, and other purposes. This is described in more detail below.How can I control cookies?You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie rights by setting your preferences in the Cookie Consent Manager. The Cookie Consent Manager allows you to select which categories of cookies you accept or reject. 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You can also control Flash Cookies by going to the Global Storage Settings Panel and following the instructions (which may include instructions that explain, for example, how to delete existing Flash Cookies (referred to "information" on the Macromedia site), how to prevent Flash LSOs from being placed on your computer without your being asked, and (for Flash Player 8 and later) how to block Flash Cookies that are not being delivered by the operator of the page you are on at the time).Please note that setting the Flash Player to restrict or limit acceptance of Flash Cookies may reduce or impede the functionality of some Flash applications, including, potentially, Flash applications used in connection with our services or online content.Do you serve targeted advertising?Third parties may serve cookies on your computer or mobile device to serve advertising through our Website. These companies may use information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services that you may be interested in. They may also employ technology that is used to measure the effectiveness of advertisements. They can accomplish this by using cookies or web beacons to collect information about your visits to this and other sites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services of potential interest to you. The information collected through this process does not enable us or them to identify your name, contact details, or other details that directly identify you unless you choose to provide these.How often will you update this Cookie Policy?We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please therefore revisit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.The date at the top of this Cookie Policy indicates when it was last updated.Where can I get further information?If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please email us at bevancho@schneiderdowns.com or by post to:Schneider Downs One PPG Place, Suite 1700Pittsburgh, PA 15222United StatesPhone: (+1)412261364420 Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### Comprehensive Overview of Sales Tax Compliance Overview of Sales & Use Tax Key Topics Sales Tax BasicsImportance of NexusSignificance of the Wayfair RulingSales Tax ExemptionsIndustry Sales & Use Tax ConsiderationsSales Tax AuditsSales Tax Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Contact Us Sales Tax BasicsWhat is sales tax?Sales tax is usually imposed by states on the sale of tangible personal property and certain services. Typically calculated as a percentage of the purchase price, this tax is collected by the retailer at the point of sale and then remitted to the government on either a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.With the rise of ecommerce, remote work, and economic sales thresholds, sales tax compliance is now more complex than it ever has been, subjecting companies to new filing obligations as they do business across a multitude of state and local jurisdictions.What is Tangible Personal Property?Tangible Personal Property (TPP) refers to physical items that have a tangible form and can be seen, touched, and moved. Unlike real property, which includes land and buildings, TPP encompasses portable objects that are not permanently attached to any real estate. Examples include furniture, vehicles, equipment, electronics, jewelry, and artwork. These items are often subject to sales tax at the point of purchase or delivery. Unlike intangible property, such as stocks or patents, TPP is defined by its physical presence and portability. Its classification is crucial when determining if a certain purchase is subject to sales tax or if the purchaser will be able to utilize an exemption certificate for the purchase.Sales Tax on ServicesHistorically, only tangible personal property was subject to state sales and use tax, however, states continue to expand their potential sales tax base by levying sales tax on certain enumerated services. Unlike the sale of TPP - which is subject to sales tax unless expressly exempt by the state, services must be specifically enumerated by legislature to be subject to sales and use taxes .Services concerning software and cloud-based solutions have been a recent target of many states subjected those services to sales and use tax. The remote nature of software licenses adds another layer of complexity to sales and use tax compliance.Importance of NexusNexus refers to the connection between a business and a state or jurisdiction that establishes the obligation to comply with tax laws, including collecting and remitting sales tax. A nexus determination is primarily controlled by the U.S. Constitution, in which the Due Process Clause requires a definite link or minimal connection between a state and the entity it wants to tax, and the Commerce Clause requires substantial presence. What constitutes whether a taxpayer has a “substantial presence” has been interpreted by state legislatures, state supreme courts, and even the United States Supreme Court.Nexus can be established in a number of ways, below is a breakdown of the different types o nexus for sales tax purposes:Physical Presence NexusThis occurs when a business establishes a tangible connection to a state or jurisdiction through its physical activities or assets. Historically, this was the primary standard for determining whether a business was required to collect and remit taxes in each state, as established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota (1992).A business is deemed to have a physical presence nexus if it has a direct, physical footprint in the state. Examples include operating a physical storefront, office, or warehouse; having employees, contractors, or sales representatives working in the state; or maintaining inventory or using a fulfillment center located within the state. Other activities, such as participating in trade shows or conducting regular in-person business activities in the state, or having a remote employee, can also create a nexus.Economic NexusThis is a legal standard that establishes a business's obligation to collect and remit taxes in a state based on the extent of its economic activity, regardless of whether the business has a physical presence in that state. This concept became prominent after the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., which allowed states to require tax compliance based on economic activity alone.The Rise of Bright-line ThresholdsThe use of bright-line thresholds has been adopted by virtually every state and local jurisdiction that levies a sales tax since the decision in Wayfair.Under the use of bright-line thresholds, a business will have economic nexus with a state if generates more than $100,000 in annual sales or completes 200 or more transactions with customers in the state. (However, many states are repealing the 200-transaction count and determining nexus solely based on the $100k threshold alone)Generally, states who levy and collect a sales tax utilize the $100k threshold established in Wayfair, absent some outliers such as CA and NY.Significance of the Wayfair RulingDue to the large number of state and local taxing jurisdictions in the United States with various rates, rules and regulations, the Court first established the physical presence test in National Bellas Hess v. Illinois, 1967 and upheld this standard 25 years later in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 1992.Due to a rapidly growing retail market on the internet and declining sales tax revenue, South Dakota’s state legislature, in defiance of the physical presence standard established in Quill, passed a economic nexus standards standard which set bright-line thresholds of $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions to state residents which if exceeded gave businesses a sales tax collection and remittance obligation with the state.Ultimately, the economic nexus standard enacted by South Dakota was challenged claiming the economic nexus standard was unconstitutional. While the South Dakota Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional based on the Quill decision, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari on appeal and agreed to hear the case where they ruled the economic nexus thresholds as being constitutional.In the opinion drafted by Justice Kennedy, it appeared that the South Dakota law’s safeguards against discrimination and undue burdens on interstate commerce were persuasive.  The respective safeguards include:·        A safe harbor for small sellers who do not meet that annual economic threshold of $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions;·        No application of the law retroactively; and·        Sales tax simplification features that come with membership in the streamlined sales tax agreement, such as a single state-level tax administration, uniform definition of products and services, simplified tax rate structures and other uniform rules.  The state also provides sellers access to sales tax administration software paid by the state.  Sellers using this software are immune from audit liability.State Sales Tax Regulations – Post WayfairMany states have updated sales tax collection regulations post-Wayfair. Below is a summary of the changes made in certain states immediately after the Supreme Court ruling was issued.State of California California enacted new legislation increasing the sales threshold from $100,000 to $500,000 and eliminating the 200 individual transaction thresholds.  This change is retroactive to April 1, 2019 and extends to marketplace facilitators effective October 1, 2019.State of New Mexico New Mexico enacted new economic nexus standards for remote sellers and marketplace providers of at least $100,000 in sales.  All receipts from doing business in New Mexico are subject to gross receipts tax, including sales, leases and licenses of tangible personal property, and sales of licenses and services or licenses for the use of real property that are sourced to New Mexico.  Marketplace sellers, may deduct receipts from transactions facilitated by a marketplace provider.  To take the deduction the marketplace seller must get documentation from the marketplace provider showing that the marketplace provider is registered with the Taxation and Revenue Department and has remitted or will remit taxes for those transactions.  Marketplace sellers choosing to exercise the deduction should issue reliable information to marketplace providers.  If not, the Department may determine that the marketplace provider is not liable for the tax on the marketplace seller’s transactions.  The marketplace provider’s taxability depends upon the information provided by the marketplace seller.  This legislation is effective, July 1, 2019. Source: Tax FoundationState of HawaiiHawaii enacted legislation extending their economic nexus standards to marketplace facilitators.  The legislation applies to sales of intangible property and services as well as tangible personal property.  The legislation’s definition of “marketplace facilitator” is any person who sells or assist in the sale of tangible personal property, intangible property, or services on behalf of another seller by: 1) providing a forum, whether physical or electronic, in which sellers list or advertise tangible personal and intangible property, or services on the behalf or another; and 2) collets payment from the purchaser either directly or indirectly through an agreement with a third party.  This legislation is effective January 1, 2020.State of IndianaIndiana’s Department of Revenue released a ruling regarding an out-of–state bake goods manufacturer reaffirming that once an economic nexus threshold is reached (when a retail merchant’s gross revenue exceeds $100,000; or 200 or more separate transactions in the state), the remote seller is required by law to register and file zero returns, even if all of their retail sales are exempt.  Revenue Ruling No. 2018-06 ST, Indiana Department of Revenue, January 7, 2019, released March 2019.State of ArkansasArkansas’ House of Representatives have passed economic nexus standards for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators that made sales into the state during the previous or current calendar year that exceeds either $100,000 or 200 individual transactions.  Should the bill be enacted, it would become effective July 1, 2019.State of GeorgiaGeorgia’s Senate passed an economic nexus bill (H. B. 276) that reduces the economic nexus sales threshold from $250,000 to $100,000 and eliminates the 200 transaction threshold.  The Senate amended the Bill to make a marketplace facilitator a dealer on sales it facilitates that are sourced to Georgia, unless the marketplace seller, or a retailer or dealer, pay the sales taxes.  Other amendments bar Georgia class action lawsuits against marketplace facilitators regarding the over collection of sales tax and moves the effective date of the changes from July 1, 2019 to January 1, 2020.State of IdahoIdaho enacted legislation for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators who lack a physical presence in the state to register and collect Idaho state level sales tax once they reach an economic nexus threshold of $100,000 in sales within the state.  The state will provide liability relief for marketplace facilitators who collect the incorrect amount of tax by reason of the retailer or retailer’s authorized agent providing misinformation.  Customers are barred from filing class action lawsuits against marketplace facilitators to recover refunds for over collected taxes.  This law becomes effective on June 1, 2019.State of West VirginiaWest Virginia expanded their economic nexus standards of $100,000 in gross revenue or 200 or more separate transactions to marketplace facilitators and referrers.  Marketplace facilitators are people who contract with one or more sellers to facilitate, for consideration, the sale of the seller’s product through a physical or electronic marketplace operated by that person, regardless of whether the consideration is deducted as fees from the transaction.  A referrer is a person who contracts or otherwise agrees with the seller to list or advertise for sale one or more items in any medium, including a website or catalog.  They receive a commission, fee or other consideration from the seller for the listing or advertisement.  The referrer also connects the purchaser to the seller electronically or through other means to complete the sale but does not collect receipts from the purchaser for the transaction.  Businesses that provide internet advertising services and do not provide the marketplace seller’s shipping terms or advertise whether a marketplace facilitator charges sales tax are not considered referrers.  This standard becomes effective on July 1, 2019.Sales Tax ExemptionsKnowing which products or services that are not subject to or are exempt from sales tax is crucial for accurate reporting where exemptions can vary greatly across different industries.  Common exempt activities include providing certain services, manufacturing, processing, research and development, pollution control, sales of items to be resold, sales to exempt organizations, and a host of other activities   Additionally, states vary widely in the items they elect to impose sales tax on.  For instance, software as a service (SaaS) is taxable in only about half of the states that impose a sales tax.Since sales tax rates often vary between location and type of product or service sold, many organizations prefer to work with qualified specialists, such as Schneider Downs, to determine and manage their sales tax exemption certificate needs.Understanding the specific criteria and documentation required for these exemptions is crucial for businesses to ensure compliance and optimize their tax liability.Use of Exemption CertificatesExemption certificates are essential documents that businesses utilize to claim sales tax exemptions on eligible purchases. Proper completion and retention of these certificates are crucial for compliance. Sales tax exemptions and exemption certificates vary state by state, therefore due diligence must be done in order to stay compliant with sales tax obligations concerning exempt sales and purchases.The following are the most common types of sales tax exemptions:ResaleGoods purchased with the intent of resale are exempt from sales tax, eliminating the burden of tax on items procured for the purpose of resale to customers. Sales tax will then be collected on the purchase by the ultimate customer.Directly Used or Consumed in ManufacturingProducts directly used or consumed in the manufacturing process qualify for sales tax exemption. This includes raw materials and components that integrate into the final product.Concept of “Direct Use”The "direct use" concept mandates that goods must be used immediately in the production process without intermediate steps, ensuring that materials contribute directly in the manufacturing process or consumed in making the finished product.Non-ProfitNon-profit organizations benefit from sales tax exemptions on purchases relevant to their charitable, educational, or religious missions, aiding in operational cost reduction and resource allocation.Government PurchaserGovernment entities are afforded sales tax exemptions on purchases made for public use, covering items utilized in government facilities, vehicles, and services.AgricultureAgricultural products and supplies that are directly employed in farming operations are exempt from sales tax. This encompasses seeds, fertilizers, and equipment necessary for crop and livestock production.ConstructionSpecific construction-related purchases, especially those used in public works or qualifying projects, may also be exempt from sales tax.Industry Sales and Use Tax ConsiderationsOften sales and use tax includes specific considerations based on the industry where the goods were sold. To add to the complexity, often states offer additional considerations to specific industries outside of the general market. Be sure to check for additional considerations within your specific state for additional incentives concerning your industry. Examples of industries with specific sales tax exemptions are packaging, transportation, public utility, R&D, and quality control, to name a few.https://vimeo.com/696683282Manufacturing Sales & Use Tax Pennsylvania Manufacturing Sales and Use Tax ConsiderationsPennsylvania offers significant sales tax exemptions for manufacturing companies, but navigating these exemptions can be complex. To maximize these benefits, manufacturers must carefully consider the specific requirements and maintain detailed records to substantiate exempt purchases.Predominant Use: Equipment must be used more than 50% of the time in the manufacturing process to qualify for the exemption. This means that equipment used for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing purposes may not be fully exempt.Recordkeeping: Maintain detailed records to demonstrate the exempt use of purchases. This includes invoices, purchase orders, maintenance records, and any other documentation that supports the exempt nature of the purchase.Out-of-State Purchases: Even if sales tax is not collected at the time of purchase, use tax may be due on out-of-state purchases used in Pennsylvania. This means that manufacturers must be aware of their use tax obligations, even for purchases made outside the state.Ohio Manufacturing Sales and Use Tax ConsiderationsOhio has specific sales and use tax rules for manufacturing companies that can significantly impact their tax liability.Tangible Personal Property: Ohio exempts tangible personal property that becomes a part of the manufactured product from sales and use tax. This includes raw materials, components, and parts used in the manufacturing process.Machinery and Equipment: Machinery, equipment, and other tangible personal property used in the manufacturing process are generally exempt, even if they are used for cleaning, repairing, or maintaining manufacturing equipment. This is often broader than many other state’s manufacturing exemptions.Use Tax on Non-Manufacturing PurchasesNon-Manufacturing Items: While manufacturing equipment and supplies are exempt, a manufacturer is responsible for paying use tax on tangible personal property that is not used primarily in the manufacturing process. This includes office supplies, furniture, and vehicles.Taxable Services: Manufacturers must also pay use tax on certain taxable services used in their operations, such as repair and installation services for non-manufacturing equipment, if those are taxable services in the respective state.Packaging Sales and Use Tax Sales and use tax considerations for packaging can vary depending on the specific jurisdiction and the type of packaging involved.Exemptions for Packaging Materials:Non-returnable containers: In many jurisdictions, sales of non-returnable containers (like boxes, bags, or envelopes) are exempt from sales tax when sold to businesses that will use them to package their own products for resale.Packaging materials used for shipping: Materials like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or shipping tape are often exempt from sales tax when purchased by businesses for shipping their products.Food and beverage packaging: In many states, packaging materials used for food and beverages, such as carryout containers, cups, and bags, are exempt from sales tax.Construction Sales and Use Tax Sales and use tax considerations for construction companies can be complex and vary depending on the specific state and local jurisdictions where they operate. Adding even more complexity, the type of construction contract often dictates the sales tax treatment of the corresponding invoices. For instance, a time and materials construction contract will often be subject to sales tax on the materials only if the construction services are exempt from tax. On the other hand, a lump sum construction contract will not be subject to sales tax since the contractor pays sales tax on their materials and factors that it into their corresponding construction bid.Sales Tax on Construction Services:Generally Non-Taxable: In most states, construction services themselves are not subject to sales tax. This includes labor, installation, and other services provided by contractors.Exemptions for Certain Services: Some states may have specific exemptions for certain types of construction services, such as those related to residential construction or low-income housing.Sales Tax on Construction Materials:Taxable at Purchase: Construction materials, such as lumber, drywall, plumbing fixtures, and electrical components, are typically subject to sales tax at the time of purchase.Exemptions for Certain Materials: Some states may offer exemptions for certain types of construction materials, particularly those that become affixed to real property.Use Tax on Construction Materials:Use Tax Liability: If a construction company purchases construction materials from out-of-state suppliers or makes purchases without paying sales tax, they may be liable for use tax.Exemptions for Certain Materials: Use tax exemptions may apply to the same types of materials that are exempt from sales tax.Other Construction Considerations:Equipment and Machinery: The taxability of equipment and machinery used in construction can vary depending on the specific item and its intended use.Software Sales and Use TaxThe ever-evolving landscape of sales and use tax can be particularly intricate for software companies. To ensure compliance, it's crucial to understand the key factors that may impact your business:Taxability of Software: A State-by-State CircumstanceTangible Media: Software delivered on physical media (CDs, DVDs) is generally classified as tangible personal property and is subject to sales tax.Digital Products: The taxability of digital products, including software downloads, varies significantly by state. Some states exempt them, while others may treat them as tangible personal property or a taxable service. Essentially, certain states determine taxability based on the method of delivery, i.e. electronic download vs. tangible disc. While other states look to the essence of what is being purchased and determine that canned software is taxable regardless of the method of delivery.Customized Software: Customized software is usually always exempt from tax regardless of delivery method.Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): SaaS models often present unique tax challenges. While some states consider SaaS as a taxable service, others may exempt it. It's essential to consult specific state laws to determine the correct tax treatment. Additionally, the location of where the licenses to the SaaS product are being used allows taxpayers to apportion their liability to states with either lower sales tax rates or states that have no sales tax at all.Software Use Tax LiabilityRemote Purchases: If your company purchases software for use in a state where you don't have nexus, you may be liable for use tax. This tax is typically the responsibility of the purchaser, but sellers may be required to collect it in certain circumstances.Additional Software Tax ConsiderationsRemote Workforce: The presence of remote workers can create nexus in certain states, impacting your sales and use tax obligations.Subscription-Based Models: The tax treatment of subscription-based software can be complex and varies by state. It's important to understand the specific rules for recurring revenue models.Retail Sales and Use TaxRetail companies Sales and Use Tax regulations vary significantly by state and locality. Understanding your locations core considerations is important.Product Taxability: Different types of products may be subject to different tax rates or exemptions. For example, groceries, prescription drugs, and certain clothing items may be exempt in some states.Sales Tax Holidays: Many states offer sales tax holidays on specific items or during certain periods. Staying informed about these exemptions can help you avoid errors and potential penalties.Remote Sales: If you sell products to customers in other states, you may need to register for sales tax in those states and collect the appropriate amount of tax depending on the amount of sales volume.Consumer Use Tax: This tax is imposed on consumers who purchase taxable goods from out-of-state sellers and use them within a state that has a sales tax.Seller's Use Tax: This tax is imposed on businesses that purchase taxable goods for use in their business but fail to pay sales tax on the purchase.Drop Shipping: If you use a drop shipping model, you may have sales tax obligations in multiple states, depending on where your suppliers and customers are located.Marketplace Facilitator Laws: These laws require online marketplaces to collect and remit sales tax on behalf of third-party sellers.Local Sales Tax: Many localities impose their own sales taxes, which can add to the complexity of tax calculations.https://youtu.be/HbpotdcPVMc?si=XH8f1voRpz5r-4hvMarketplace Facilitator LawsMarketplace facilitator laws impose an obligation on the platform that facilitates the sale (the marketplace facilitator) to collect and remit sales tax on behalf of the marketplace seller. These laws are significant because they shift the obligation to collect and remit sales tax from the seller to the marketplace platform.Sales Tax AuditsSales tax audit complexity is compounded by states becoming more aggressive and strategic in auditing taxpayers to recover tax dollars and fill budget gaps. As a result, businesses must understand their sales tax exposure, mitigate risk and past exposure, and establish processes and systems to ensure ongoing compliance.Sales Tax Audit TrendsRecent sales tax audit trends show an increased focus on remote sellers and the use of technology. States are actively targeting online retailers and businesses with remote employees to ensure they are properly collecting and remitting sales tax. Additionally, tax authorities are leveraging advanced data analytics tools to identify potential non-compliance issues, such as discrepancies in sales records or product classification errors. To mitigate audit risks, businesses should maintain accurate records, stay informed about changing tax laws, and consider using tax automation software to streamline compliance processes.Sales Tax Audit StrategiesSales tax audit strategies have become increasingly sophisticated, leveraging advanced data analytics and technology. State tax authorities are utilizing data mining techniques to identify potential non-compliance issues, such as discrepancies in sales records, product classification errors, or inconsistencies in tax rates. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on remote seller audits, particularly targeting businesses that may not have a physical presence in a state but are required to collect and remit sales tax due to economic nexus.Sales Tax Audit Review for RefundsState tax authorities are scrutinizing refund claims more closely, particularly for businesses with complex operations or those claiming significant refunds. This increased scrutiny often involves detailed reviews of supporting documentation, such as purchase orders, invoices, and tax exemption certificates. To mitigate risks and maximize refund opportunities, businesses should maintain meticulous records, stay informed about changing tax laws, and consider consulting with tax professionals to ensure accurate and timely filing of refund claims.Sellers are still responsible for collecting and remitting sales made outside of a marketplace platform, including on an ecommerce site, at a trade show, or from a physical location.Frequently Asked QuestionsAs a business owner, understanding state and local tax laws is crucial to ensure compliance and minimize your tax liability. Here are some key questions to consider: What types of state and local taxes are applicable to my business? Generally, businesses are subject to state and local income tax, sales tax, property tax, and potentially other taxes like excise taxes or franchise taxes. How are these state and local taxes calculated and collected? The method of calculating state and local tax liabilities depends on the type of state and local tax (i.e. income, sales & use, property) and varies across the thousands of tax jurisdictions within the United States. Navigating the ever-changing state and local tax landscape requires deep expertise. Are there any tax incentives or credits available to my business? Available state and local tax credits and incentives vary by state, industry, and the type of activity being incentivized.  Commonly, tax credits and incentives are available for capital investment, hiring or retention of employees, employee training, relocation or new facility development, manufacturing of emerging technologies, and a host of other activities. Securing state and local tax incentives and credits requires familiarity with compliance obligations required by a state or local tax administrator to be awarded the tax credit or incentive. Am I required to collect and remit sales tax? Your business’s location, the nature of your products or services, and the specific rules of your state and locality all need to be evaluated whether your business has “nexus,” the taxable presence necessary for a state to impose their sales tax and require a business to collect and remit the tax.   Nexus and the resulting tax obligation can arise from having a physical presence in the state (i.e. employees or property) or even having an economic presence in the state by exceeding a particular sales revenue threshold – generally $100,000 What items are exempt from sales tax? Knowing which products or services are not subject to or are exempt from sales tax is crucial for accurate reporting and exemptions vary across industries.  Common non-taxable or exempt activities include providing certain services, manufacturing, processing, research and development, pollution control, sales of items to be resold, sales to exempt organization, and a host of other activities   Additionally, states very widely in the items they elect to impose the sales tax on.  For instance, software as a service (SaaS) is taxable in only about half of the states that impose a sales tax. How do I determine the correct sales tax rate for each transaction? Sales tax rates can vary based on location and the type of product or service. Keeping up to date on state and local sales tax rates is necessary to achieve accurate sales tax compliance.. Am I required to file income tax in a state?  Evaluating if your business is required to file an income tax return in a state starts with determining whether your business has nexus in the state sufficient for the state to tax your income.  Generally, state income tax nexus is derived through physical presence in a state, such as the presence of assets or employees, including those employees working remotely in the state. How is my business income taxed at the state and local level? The method of taxation varies based on how the business is structured from a legal entity perspective and where the business is located.  State income taxation can vary widely based on whether your business is a corporation or pass-through entity.  Additionally, states may tax different varieties of income differently, such as the taxation of goods vs. services, and impose varying taxing methodologies, adding further variations to the taxes your business may be subject to. What are the tax implications of operating in multiple jurisdictions? State income tax methodologies vary amongst the various states, with differences in the treatment of key components to the tax calculation, such as the tax base, apportionment of income, conformity to federal tax provisions, tax rates, and a host of other factors.  A multistate business faces the complicated task of navigating the myriad of state tax regimes. How is property tax assessed for my business property? Business property is generally taxed according to whether it is real property or business personal property. Real property tax and business personal property tax generally have different rates and nuances in how the tax is calculated. Exemptions are also generally different between the two taxes. Are there any tax exemptions or abatements available for business property? Some jurisdictions offer tax exemptions for property tax. Some common exemptions include property used in manufacturing, property used by a small business, research and development, pollution control, and agriculture. What payroll taxes are applicable to my employees? Payroll taxes include federal and state income tax withholding , Social Security tax, Medicare tax, and other employment-related taxes depending on your state and locality, such as state unemployment insurance. Remote and hybrid employees bring their own distinct challenges, such as the proper jurisdiction to withhold. How do I calculate and withhold these taxes from employee paychecks? Understanding the payroll tax calculation rules is crucial for compliance as each state and locality’s withholding rules differ greatly. Accurate payroll tax compliance is important since failure to collect and remit the proper payroll taxes may result in hefty penalties and interest and could even lead to the businesses’ owner with personal liability for the tax not being withheld and remitted. Generally, businesses are subject to state and local income tax, sales tax, property tax, and potentially other taxes like excise taxes or franchise taxes.The method of calculating state and local tax liabilities depends on the type of state and local tax (i.e. income, sales & use, property) and varies across the thousands of tax jurisdictions within the United States. Navigating the ever-changing state and local tax landscape requires deep expertise.Available state and local tax credits and incentives vary by state, industry, and the type of activity being incentivized.  Commonly, tax credits and incentives are available for capital investment, hiring or retention of employees, employee training, relocation or new facility development, manufacturing of emerging technologies, and a host of other activities. Securing state and local tax incentives and credits requires familiarity with compliance obligations required by a state or local tax administrator to be awarded the tax credit or incentive.Your business's location, the nature of your products or services, and the specific rules of your state and locality all need to be evaluated whether your business has “nexus,” the taxable presence necessary for a state to impose their sales tax and require a business to collect and remit the tax.   Nexus and the resulting tax obligation can arise from having a physical presence in the state (i.e. employees or property) or even having an economic presence in the state by exceeding a particular sales revenue threshold – generally $100,000Knowing which products or services are not subject to or are exempt from sales tax is crucial for accurate reporting and exemptions vary across industries.  Common non-taxable or exempt activities include providing certain services, manufacturing, processing, research and development, pollution control, sales of items to be resold, sales to exempt organization, and a host of other activities   Additionally, states very widely in the items they elect to impose the sales tax on.  For instance, software as a service (SaaS) is taxable in only about half of the states that impose a sales tax.Sales tax rates can vary based on location and the type of product or service. Keeping up to date on state and local sales tax rates is necessary to achieve accurate sales tax compliance.. Evaluating if your business is required to file an income tax return in a state starts with determining whether your business has nexus in the state sufficient for the state to tax your income.  Generally, state income tax nexus is derived through physical presence in a state, such as the presence of assets or employees, including those employees working remotely in the state.The method of taxation varies based on how the business is structured from a legal entity perspective and where the business is located.  State income taxation can vary widely based on whether your business is a corporation or pass-through entity.  Additionally, states may tax different varieties of income differently, such as the taxation of goods vs. services, and impose varying taxing methodologies, adding further variations to the taxes your business may be subject to.State income tax methodologies vary amongst the various states, with differences in the treatment of key components to the tax calculation, such as the tax base, apportionment of income, conformity to federal tax provisions, tax rates, and a host of other factors.  A multistate business faces the complicated task of navigating the myriad of state tax regimes.Business property is generally taxed according to whether it is real property or business personal property. Real property tax and business personal property tax generally have different rates and nuances in how the tax is calculated. Exemptions are also generally different between the two taxes.Some jurisdictions offer tax exemptions for property tax. Some common exemptions include property used in manufacturing, property used by a small business, research and development, pollution control, and agriculture.Payroll taxes include federal and state income tax withholding , Social Security tax, Medicare tax, and other employment-related taxes depending on your state and locality, such as state unemployment insurance. Remote and hybrid employees bring their own distinct challenges, such as the proper jurisdiction to withhold.Understanding the payroll tax calculation rules is crucial for compliance as each state and locality’s withholding rules differ greatly. Accurate payroll tax compliance is important since failure to collect and remit the proper payroll taxes may result in hefty penalties and interest and could even lead to the businesses’ owner with personal liability for the tax not being withheld and remitted. Excerpt: Discover the comprehensive range of services offered by Schneider Downs, a leading independent CPA firm. From audit and assurance to tax compliance and consulting, our expert team is dedicated to helping businesses navigate the complexities of financial management. Explore our specialized services in risk advisory, digital consulting, and wealth management tailored to meet the unique needs of public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and individuals. Stay informed with our insights and resources designed to empower your financial decisions. Join us on a journey to optimize your financial strategies and achieve your goals with confidence. ### One Big Beautiful Bill One Big Beautiful Bill Resource Center Expert insights to help you navigate the complexities of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). Contact us today Bill Overview Get a comprehensive snapshot of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) — its official enactment on July 4, 2025, how it extends or modifies key provisions of the TCJA and beyond, and why it’s considered one of the largest tax‑policy overhauls in recent years. The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Individual, Estate, and Gift Taxes July 10, 2025 Explore key individual, estate, and gift tax changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill and how they may impact your financial planning. Read More → The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Organizations July 10, 2025 Explore key tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill that impact businesses and tax-exempt organizations, from deductions to compliance updates Read More → The One Big Beautiful Bill: State Tax Impact and Noteworthy Past Proposals Provisions That Were Not Included July 11, 2025 See how the One Big Beautiful Bill affects state taxes—and what high-profile tax proposals didn’t make it into the final legislation. Read More → Back to Categories Article Categories Main Menu Individual taxEstate and giftBusiness taxTax-exempt organizationsInternational taxIncentives and creditsState and Local ImplicationsIndustry-Specific Videos Janelle Merlo OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations September 22, 2025 Watch Now Mark A. DiPietrantonio OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations September 22, 2025 Watch Now Daniel P. Phillips OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations September 9, 2025 Watch Now Events R&D Tax Credits for Construction: Turning Legislative Change Into Opportunity When: October 22, 2025 @ 11:00 AM EST | Register Now Join the Schneider Downs R&D Tax Credit Team for a webinar on how recent ... View Event From Complexity to Clarity: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) When: Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 09:00 AM ET Join us for an informative and engaging webinar where we’ll break down the key elements of the ... View Event From Complexity to Clarity:Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Watch Webinar Download Slides VIDEOS | EVENTS | WEBINARS All Articles Explore our complete library of articles covering the OBBB across individual, business, estate, energy, green incentives, international, and state tax implications—your all‑in‑one source for updated tax insights. OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations September 22, 2025 Read More → OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations September 22, 2025 Read More → OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations September 9, 2025 Read More → OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Organizations September 9, 2025 Read More → 7 Provisions of the OBBB That Provide a More Certain and Tax Efficient Environment for M&A Activity September 3, 2025 Read More → 1 2 3 … 6 Next » Individual Tax Understand how OBBB permanently extends the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction, enhances §529 education planning (including doubling K–12 tuition withdrawal limits), and adds new personal deductions for tips and overtime pay. The One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Green Energy Tax Credits Set to Expire July 29, 2025 Read More → Major Provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacting the Trucking Industry, Including Driver Overtime Pay July 22, 2025 Read More → Employer Reporting Obligations for Employee Tax-Free Tips and Overtime Compensation July 16, 2025 Read More → 1 2 Next » Estate and Gift Learn how OBBB affects estate and gift planning, including changes to §529 plan usage and higher thresholds for qualifying withdrawals—features especially relevant for intergenerational wealth strategies. The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Individual, Estate, and Gift Taxes July 10, 2025 Read More → Business Tax Dive into the major tax changes impacting businesses: the permanent shift to EBITDA‑based §163(j) interest deduction, extended 100% bonus depreciation, heightened §179 expensing limits, and updated information‑reporting thresholds. OBBB Section 174 Expensing – Further Guidance with a Tight Timeline for Small Businesses August 29, 2025 Read More → Major Provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacting the Trucking Industry, Including Driver Overtime Pay July 22, 2025 Read More → The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Makes Two Changes to the Income Tax Reporting of Residential Construction Contracts July 17, 2025 Read More → 1 2 3 4 Next » Tax-Exempt Organizations See how the OBBB modifies excise tax rules for tax‑exempt entities—expanding definitions of “covered employees” and adjusting endowment tax rates for large colleges and universities The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Organizations July 10, 2025 Read More → Tax Exempt Organizations and “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Provisions With Potential Impact May 16, 2025 Read More → International Tax Understand global businesses’ exposure to OBBB provisions, from interest deduction changes to credit impacts and compliance shifts—especially for companies with cross‑border structures The One Big Beautiful Bill: International Tax Implications July 16, 2025 Read More → Incentives and Credits Discover which clean energy and green tax credits are expiring or being phased out—such as EV credits, home energy improvements, and commercial refueling property incentives—so you can act ahead of deadlines. The One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Green Energy Tax Credits Set to Expire July 29, 2025 Read More → Major Provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacting the Trucking Industry, Including Driver Overtime Pay July 22, 2025 Read More → How does the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Impact the Energy and Natural Resources Industry? July 16, 2025 Read More → 1 2 Next » State and Local Implications Explore how OBBB’s federal tax changes may ripple into state conformity rules and SALT workaround regimes—as well as which proposals didn’t make it into the final bill. The One Big Beautiful Bill: State Tax Impact and Noteworthy Past Proposals Provisions That Were Not Included July 11, 2025 Read More → Major Tax Code Changes Under the One Big Beautiful Bill July 7, 2025 Read More → Industry-Specific Industry‑specific insights show how sectors like energy, manufacturing, construction, and real estate are impacted by the OBBB—from bonus depreciation in natural resources to advanced manufacturing tax credits for coal and changes to construction‑related clean energy incentives. The OBBB and Its Impact on the Real Estate Industry July 28, 2025 Read More → Major Provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacting the Trucking Industry, Including Driver Overtime Pay July 22, 2025 Read More → The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Makes Two Changes to the Income Tax Reporting of Residential Construction Contracts July 17, 2025 Read More → 1 2 3 Next » ### Construction SME FAQs Construction SME FAQs Welcome to our comprehensive guide for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the construction industry. This resource addresses critical questions and provides insights into key financial and operational areas that impact your business. From navigating the complexities of joint ventures and financial consolidation to understanding indirect job costs, tax implications, and the benefits of captive insurance, we aim to equip you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and foster sustainable growth. Each section is designed to offer clear, concise answers to common challenges faced by construction SMEs. We'd love to hear from you if you have a question for our Construction team and don’t see it listed. Send us a question at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Joint Ventures FAQs What accounting consolidation method is appropriate to capture and report joint venture activity? Accurate financial reporting is crucial for transparency and compliance. Construction companies often may have a decision to make in terms of assessing how a joint venture activity is reflected within its financial reporting. These methods include cost, equity method, full consolidation, proportional consolidation, or partial consolidation. How are responsibilities and risks shared between joint venture partners? A well-structured joint venture agreement should explicitly define the allocation of responsibilities. This should cover aspects such as majority voting rights, profit and loss distribution, the designation of the managing partner, and mechanisms for dispute resolution. The significance of formulating a comprehensive agreement that addresses these factors cannot be overstated at the beginning of the joint venture. Clarifying these responsibilities prior to the commencement of the project will prevent potential issues in the future. What are some key factors that should be evaluated prior to entering into a joint venture? Prior to signing a joint venture agreement, a contractor should be evaluating the following: Operational strategic alignment – How will the joint venture align with our strategic goals and operational capabilities? What is the financial health of the potential joint venture partner? Have you reviewed their financial statements and credit history? How will the joint venture impact our balance sheet and cash flow? Performance metrics – What key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used to measure the success of the joint venture? How will financial reporting and transparency be maintained? Exit Strategy – What is the exit strategy for the joint venture? How will assets and liabilities be handled upon dissolution? Are there provisions for resolving disputes or disagreements? Accurate financial reporting is crucial for transparency and compliance. Construction companies often may have a decision to make in terms of assessing how a joint venture activity is reflected within its financial reporting. These methods include cost, equity method, full consolidation, proportional consolidation, or partial consolidation. A well-structured joint venture agreement should explicitly define the allocation of responsibilities. This should cover aspects such as majority voting rights, profit and loss distribution, the designation of the managing partner, and mechanisms for dispute resolution. The significance of formulating a comprehensive agreement that addresses these factors cannot be overstated at the beginning of the joint venture. Clarifying these responsibilities prior to the commencement of the project will prevent potential issues in the future. Prior to signing a joint venture agreement, a contractor should be evaluating the following: Operational strategic alignment - How will the joint venture align with our strategic goals and operational capabilities? What is the financial health of the potential joint venture partner? Have you reviewed their financial statements and credit history? How will the joint venture impact our balance sheet and cash flow? Performance metrics - What key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used to measure the success of the joint venture? How will financial reporting and transparency be maintained? Exit Strategy - What is the exit strategy for the joint venture? How will assets and liabilities be handled upon dissolution? Are there provisions for resolving disputes or disagreements? Consolidation FAQs What is the difference between consolidation and combination in financial statements? Consolidation and combination are methods used to present the financial statements of a construction company and its subsidiaries or affiliated entities. Consolidation involves merging the financial information of a parent company and its subsidiaries into a single set of statements, eliminating intercompany transactions and balances. Combination, on the other hand, involves aggregating the financial information of entities under common control but does not eliminate intercompany transactions. This method is less common in construction companies and may be used for joint ventures or partnerships. When should a construction company consolidate its financial statements? A construction company should consolidate its financial statements when it has control over other entities. Control is typically defined as owning more than 50% of the voting shares, being able to influence financial and operational policies, or having the power to appoint or remove the majority of the board of directors. Consolidation is necessary to provide a complete and accurate picture of the company’s financial position, performance, and cash flows, ensuring transparency for stakeholders. What are the key considerations in consolidating financial statements for a construction company? When consolidating financial statements, a construction company must consider the following key factors: Elimination of Intercompany Transactions: All transactions between the parent company and its subsidiaries, such as loans, sales, and expenses, must be eliminated to avoid double counting. Accounting Policies: The parent company and its subsidiaries must use consistent accounting policies to ensure comparability and accuracy in the consolidated statements. Minority Interests: The interests of minority shareholders in subsidiaries should be appropriately accounted for and presented in the consolidated financial statements. Goodwill and Impairment Testing: Goodwill arising from acquisitions must be recognized and tested for impairment regularly to reflect its fair value. Currency Translation: If the parent company or subsidiaries operate in different currencies, appropriate translation methods must be applied to consolidate the financial statements. Consolidation and combination are methods used to present the financial statements of a construction company and its subsidiaries or affiliated entities. Consolidation involves merging the financial information of a parent company and its subsidiaries into a single set of statements, eliminating intercompany transactions and balances. Combination, on the other hand, involves aggregating the financial information of entities under common control but does not eliminate intercompany transactions. This method is less common in construction companies and may be used for joint ventures or partnerships. A construction company should consolidate its financial statements when it has control over other entities. Control is typically defined as owning more than 50% of the voting shares, being able to influence financial and operational policies, or having the power to appoint or remove the majority of the board of directors. Consolidation is necessary to provide a complete and accurate picture of the company’s financial position, performance, and cash flows, ensuring transparency for stakeholders. When consolidating financial statements, a construction company must consider the following key factors: Elimination of Intercompany Transactions: All transactions between the parent company and its subsidiaries, such as loans, sales, and expenses, must be eliminated to avoid double counting. Accounting Policies: The parent company and its subsidiaries must use consistent accounting policies to ensure comparability and accuracy in the consolidated statements. Minority Interests: The interests of minority shareholders in subsidiaries should be appropriately accounted for and presented in the consolidated financial statements. Goodwill and Impairment Testing: Goodwill arising from acquisitions must be recognized and tested for impairment regularly to reflect its fair value. Currency Translation: If the parent company or subsidiaries operate in different currencies, appropriate translation methods must be applied to consolidate the financial statements. Indirect Job Costs FAQs What constitutes an indirect cost? Essentially, costs that are not easily identified with a specific project. Confusion often occurs in determining whether indirect costs relate to specific contracts or to the general operating expense of the contractor. Common indirect costs include: rent, utilities, depreciation, insurance, repairs and maintenance, and other costs related to construction facilities, as well as equipment. In addition, compensation, fringe benefits, workers’ compensation insurance, and payroll taxes for indirect labor (such as project managers and supervisors), are also indirect costs. How do you appropriately allocate the indirect costs? All indirect costs related to the construction process should be identified and included in an overhead pool or pools to be allocated to the construction costs of individual contracts. Determining overhead pools and allocation of those costs generally depend on the type of work and amount of costs incurred. Guidelines to be considered in determining the components of the overhead pools include: If the indirect cost was incurred solely to benefit the construction activity, all of that cost should be included in the overhead pool. If the indirect cost does not relate to the construction activity, none of it should be considered in the overhead pool. If a portion of the cost relates directly to the construction activity, consider only that portion in the overhead allocation. What methods of allocating overhead are GAAP compliant and can I change the allocation? GAAP allows a variety of methods for allocating overhead costs among construction contractors, including allocations based on direct labor hours, direct labor costs, or combinations of direct labor and material costs. A key point is that the contractor makes sure that the method used is systematic, rational, and consistent year after year. However, indirect costs and estimating processes change over time, therefore contractors should periodically consider the appropriateness of the allocation method used and revise the process as necessary to maintain accuracy. What are the repercussions if contractors fail to properly allocate indirect costs? Contracts run the risk of not recouping expenses or submitting inaccurate bids, which could lead to cost overruns and lost profits. Underestimating indirect costs during bidding often results in contract losses, while overestimating may prevent the contractor from obtaining the job in a competitive environment. Essentially, costs that are not easily identified with a specific project. Confusion often occurs in determining whether indirect costs relate to specific contracts or to the general operating expense of the contractor. Common indirect costs include: rent, utilities, depreciation, insurance, repairs and maintenance, and other costs related to construction facilities, as well as equipment. In addition, compensation, fringe benefits, workers’ compensation insurance, and payroll taxes for indirect labor (such as project managers and supervisors), are also indirect costs. All indirect costs related to the construction process should be identified and included in an overhead pool or pools to be allocated to the construction costs of individual contracts. Determining overhead pools and allocation of those costs generally depend on the type of work and amount of costs incurred. Guidelines to be considered in determining the components of the overhead pools include: If the indirect cost was incurred solely to benefit the construction activity, all of that cost should be included in the overhead pool. If the indirect cost does not relate to the construction activity, none of it should be considered in the overhead pool. If a portion of the cost relates directly to the construction activity, consider only that portion in the overhead allocation. GAAP allows a variety of methods for allocating overhead costs among construction contractors, including allocations based on direct labor hours, direct labor costs, or combinations of direct labor and material costs. A key point is that the contractor makes sure that the method used is systematic, rational, and consistent year after year. However, indirect costs and estimating processes change over time, therefore contractors should periodically consider the appropriateness of the allocation method used and revise the process as necessary to maintain accuracy. Contracts run the risk of not recouping expenses or submitting inaccurate bids, which could lead to cost overruns and lost profits. Underestimating indirect costs during bidding often results in contract losses, while overestimating may prevent the contractor from obtaining the job in a competitive environment. Taxes/Lookback FAQs What is the small contractor exception? The small contractor exemption allows contractors with average annual gross receipts of $30 million or less to use the completed contract method or other permissible methods, potentially deferring revenue recognition for tax purposes. How does percentage of completion method work? Taxable income is recognized based on the percentage of the contract completed during the tax year. This is determined by comparing costs allocated to the contract and incurred before the end of the tax year with the estimated total contract costs. How does the look-back method work? The look-back method is used to correct over- or under-reported income from long-term contracts. After the contract is completed, the contractor must compare the actual income and expenses to the estimated amounts reported in previous years and adjust their tax returns accordingly. The small contractor exemption allows contractors with average annual gross receipts of $30 million or less to use the completed contract method or other permissible methods, potentially deferring revenue recognition for tax purposes. Taxable income is recognized based on the percentage of the contract completed during the tax year. This is determined by comparing costs allocated to the contract and incurred before the end of the tax year with the estimated total contract costs. The look-back method is used to correct over- or under-reported income from long-term contracts. After the contract is completed, the contractor must compare the actual income and expenses to the estimated amounts reported in previous years and adjust their tax returns accordingly. Captive Insurance FAQs What are the benefits of forming/participating within a captive insurance arrangement? Customization of coverage – Captive insurance allows companies the ability to customize their insurance policies to create more comprehensive and relevant coverage to address their unique operational risks. Cost savings and potential earnings – Traditional insurance companies charge premiums based on industry-wide risks, which can lead to higher premiums. Captive insurance allows companies to retain more of their unused premiums, especially if they have strong risk management practices. Additionally, those premiums funded are invested until the funds are needed to pay claims or other expenses. The investments can generate additional income used to cover future claims or future premiums. Access to reinsurance market – Captives can negotiate directly with the reinsurance market avoiding commissions charged by commercial carriers Potential tax benefits – Captives can also offer potential tax benefits depending on how the captive is structured and the jurisdiction in which it is domiciled. Premiums paid to a captive may be tax-deductible as a business expense reducing the overall tax burden for the parent company. A captive insurance company formed under internal revenue code section 831(b) with net premiums that do not exceed $2,650,000 for a taxable year can elect to be taxed on its investment income only. Risk management – Companies may be incentivized to invest in safety programs, employee training and other loss prevention initiatives in an effort to reduce claim activity, ultimately fostering a safer work environment. What responsibility will my company have in operating a captive? Captives are subject to strict regulatory oversight, which can vary depending on the jurisdiction in which the captive is domiciled. They must comply with local insurance laws, maintain solvency requirements and submit quarterly/annual financial reports to regulators. The day-to-day administration of the captive will be handled by third party captive managers and consultants, but the Company will still bear ultimate oversight responsibilities including participation in the captive’s board of directors. In addition, certain private foundations are required to pay tax on their net investment income annually as reported on their Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. What forms of collateral are accepted for participation within a group captive? Each member is required to post collateral for the purpose of funding and capitalizing the captive as well as collateralizing the policy issuing/fronting carrier. Members may post letters of credit or cash collateral with cash collateral providing an opportunity to earn investment income. Customization of coverage - Captive insurance allows companies the ability to customize their insurance policies to create more comprehensive and relevant coverage to address their unique operational risks. Cost savings and potential earnings - Traditional insurance companies charge premiums based on industry-wide risks, which can lead to higher premiums. Captive insurance allows companies to retain more of their unused premiums, especially if they have strong risk management practices. Additionally, those premiums funded are invested until the funds are needed to pay claims or other expenses. The investments can generate additional income used to cover future claims or future premiums. Access to reinsurance market – Captives can negotiate directly with the reinsurance market avoiding commissions charged by commercial carriers Potential tax benefits - Captives can also offer potential tax benefits depending on how the captive is structured and the jurisdiction in which it is domiciled. Premiums paid to a captive may be tax-deductible as a business expense reducing the overall tax burden for the parent company. A captive insurance company formed under internal revenue code section 831(b) with net premiums that do not exceed $2,650,000 for a taxable year can elect to be taxed on its investment income only. Risk management - Companies may be incentivized to invest in safety programs, employee training and other loss prevention initiatives in an effort to reduce claim activity, ultimately fostering a safer work environment. Captives are subject to strict regulatory oversight, which can vary depending on the jurisdiction in which the captive is domiciled. They must comply with local insurance laws, maintain solvency requirements and submit quarterly/annual financial reports to regulators. The day-to-day administration of the captive will be handled by third party captive managers and consultants, but the Company will still bear ultimate oversight responsibilities including participation in the captive’s board of directors. In addition, certain private foundations are required to pay tax on their net investment income annually as reported on their Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Each member is required to post collateral for the purpose of funding and capitalizing the captive as well as collateralizing the policy issuing/fronting carrier. Members may post letters of credit or cash collateral with cash collateral providing an opportunity to earn investment income. About Schneider Downs Construction Services Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, Schneider Downs provides strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus. To learn more, visit our Construction Industry Group page. 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Whether your journey started in the C-suite, Accounting, FP&A or Operations, we ensure all stakeholders benefit from your investment.Our enterprise-wide solutions transform data into intelligent insights, enhancing strategy, optimizing operations and providing a complete view of performance and opportunities that impact your bottom line.Power BI Business AnalyticsGain a holistic view of your organizational data to drive ongoing success with SD Digital. Our team transforms fragmented business data sets into integrated insights that drive the creation of enterprise-level KPIs, directly contributing to an organization’s success. These KPIs include customer satisfaction (CSAT), profitability, sales pipeline, customer service and operations management.Power BI Compliance AnalyticsNavigate compliance with confidence. 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By aligning and mobilizing critical financial data analytics from accounts receivable, accounts payable and FP&A, SD Digital provides a holistic view of revenue and sales data, expense data, profit figures, asset information, liabilities, equity data, cash flow statements, investment data, budgets and forecasts, tax records, credit information, market data, bank statements and financial ratios.Power BI Supplemental ServicesTalent AccelerationLooking to build out a future-ready data team? SD Digital provides the framework and expertise to help organizations establish and manage their data analytics teams to meet evolving business demands with confidence. SupportOur Microsoft-certified Power BI experts can provide additional training and post go-live support when needed, ensuring the ongoing success of implementation. SD Digital also offers managed services to organizations that desire worry-free proactive support for their investment in Power BI.Ready to Start Your Digital Journey? 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CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Cleveland, OHSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Cleveland OHNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Cleveland and Ohio business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Cleveland (OH)Cleveland serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Cleveland’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Scottsdale (AZ) CMMC Compliance Services - Scottsdale (AZ) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Scottsdale (AZ), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Scottsdale, AZSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Scottsdale, AZNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Scottsdale and Arizona business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Scottsdale, AZScottsdale serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Scottsdale’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Cincinnati (OH) CMMC Compliance Services - Cincinnati (OH) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Cincinnati (OH), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Cincinnati, OHSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Cincinnati OHNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Cincinnati and Ohio business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Cincinnati (OH)Cincinnati serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Cincinnati’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Columbus (OH) CMMC Compliance Services - Columbus (OH) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Columbus (OH), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Columbus, OHSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Columbus, OHNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Columbus and Ohio business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Columbus (OH)Columbus serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Columbus’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Baltimore (MD) CMMC Compliance Services - Baltimore (MD) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Baltimore (MD), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Baltimore (MD)Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Baltimore (MD)Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Baltimore and Maryland  business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Baltimore (MD)Baltimore serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Baltimore’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Boston (MA) CMMC Compliance Services - Boston (MA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Boston (MA), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Boston (MA)Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Boston (MA)Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Boston business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Boston (MA)Boston serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Boston’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Plymouth (MA) CMMC Compliance Services - Plymouth (MA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Plymouth (MA), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Plymouth (MA)Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Plymouth (MA)Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Plymouth business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Plymouth (MA)Plymouth serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Plymouth’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Jacksonville (FL) CMMC Compliance Services - Jacksonville (FL) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Jacksonville (FL), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Jacksonville (FL)Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Jacksonville (FL)Not ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Jacksonville and Florida business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Jacksonville (FL)Jacksonville serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Jacksonville’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Tucson (AZ) CMMC Compliance Services -Tucson (AZ) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Tucson (AZ), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Tucson, AZSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Tucson, AZNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Tucson and Arizona business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Tucson, AZTucson serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Tucson’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Phoenix (AZ) CMMC Compliance Services - Phoenix (AZ) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Phoenix (AZ), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Phoenix, AZSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Phoenix, AZNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Phoenix and Arizona business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Phoenix, AZPhoenix serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Phoenix’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Tacoma (WA) CMMC Compliance Services - Tacoma (WA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Tacoma (WA), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Tacoma, WASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Tacoma, WANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Tacoma and Washington business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Tacoma, WATacoma serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Tacoma’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Seattle (WA) CMMC Compliance Services - Seattle (WA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Seattle (WA), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Seattle, WASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Seattle, WANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Seattle and Washington business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Seattle, WASeattle serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Seattle’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Tampa (FL) CMMC Compliance Services - Tampa (FL) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Tampa (FL), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Tampa, FLSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Tampa, FLNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Tampa and Florida business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Tampa, FLTampa serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Tampa’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Miami (FL) CMMC Compliance Services - Miami (FL) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Miami (FL), and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Miami, FLSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Miami, FLNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Miami and Florida business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Miami, FLMiami serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Miami’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - San Francisco CA CMMC Compliance Services - San Francisco (CA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in San Francisco, CA, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in San Francisco, CASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – San Francisco, CANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your San Francisco and California business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in San Francisco, CASan Francisco serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances San Francisco’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - San Diego CA CMMC Compliance Services - San Diego (CA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in San Diego, CA, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in San Diego, CASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – San Diego, CANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your San Diego and California business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in San Diego, CASan Diego serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances San Diego’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Los Angeles CA CMMC Compliance Services - Los Angeles (CA) As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Los Angeles, CA, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Los Angeles, CASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Los Angeles, CANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Los Angeles and California business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Los Angeles, CALos Angeles serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Los Angeles’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Alexandria (VA) CMMC Compliance Services - Alexandria, Virginia As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Alexandria, VA, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Alexandria, VASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Alexandria, VANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Alexandria and Virginia business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Alexandria, VAAlexandria serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Alexandria’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Norfolk (VA) CMMC Compliance Services - Norfolk, Virginia As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Norfolk, VA, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Norfolk, VASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Norfolk, VANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Norfolk and Virginia business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Norfolk, VANorfolk serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Norfolk’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Richmond (VA) CMMC Compliance Services - Richmond, Virginia As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Richmond, VA, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Richmond, VASchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Richmond, VANot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Richmond and Virginia business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Richmond, VARichmond serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Richmond’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Dallas (TX) CMMC Compliance Services - Dallas, Texas As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Dallas, TX, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Dallas, TXSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Dallas, TXNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Dallas, TXDallas, TX serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Houston’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Compliance Services - Houston(TX) CMMC Compliance Services - Houston, Texas As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Houston, TX, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Houston, TXSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Houston, TXNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Has your Houston and Texas business aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Houston, TXHouston, TX serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Houston’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### SD Focus on Women [Content is password protected] ### CMMC Compliance Services - Austin, TX CMMC Compliance Services - Austin, Texas As an authorized C3PAO, Schneider Downs is qualified to assess and certify organizations subject to the DOD’s DFARS 7021 clause in Austin, TX, and nationwide.The CMMC requirements were finalized on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB).Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must be certified to be awarded DOD contracts that contain the DFARS clause. Conquer CMMC Compliance – Contact Us Today! CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to provide guidance that will be invaluable as you prepare for your assessment. Industry Expertise If you choose to consult with us, we will leverage our expertise across several industries to address your specific CMMC challenges. Schneider Downs has over 25 years of experience auditing a variety of organizations' security frameworks. CMMC Certification in Austin, TXSchneider Downs is one of the first 55 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) CMMC program. This puts us in a unique position to either:Help an organization prepare for CMMC certification through consultative efforts such as performing a gap analysis/mock audit orPrepare the organization for CMMC certification.The CMMC independence requirements prevent us from serving in both capacities.Starting in 2025, companies subject to DFARS 7021 that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to achieve one of three levels of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC is projected to impact 450,000 organizations, including U.S. organizations and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. CMMC Readiness Assessment Consulting – Austin, TXNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Have you aligned your System Security Plan (SSP) with your Shared Responsibility Matix (SRM) and Asset Inventory with the appropriate CMMC classifications? These are areas (among others) where we can help. Our demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, combined with our designation as a C3PAO, uniquely positions us to consult with your organization and provide guidance that will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your assessment. Our consulting services could take many forms including:Develop and align critical documentation with one anotherConduct a readiness assessment detailing the controls that would pass an assessment and provide recommendations for those controls that failedConsult with management regarding an overall CMMC implementation strategyConduct mock auditsAssist management with their required annual self-assessmentAssist management with the interpretation of CMMC requirementsWork with management to address failed controls included within your Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)CMMC Readiness Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC readiness assessment encompasses four distinct phases.Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness.Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations.Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations.Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified POA&Ms and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment.CMMC Compliance Services in Austin, TXAustin, TX serves as a key hub for defense innovation and research. The presence of DoD organizations and defense-related companies further enhances Austin’s role as a strategic center for innovation. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### Not-for-Profit Industry FAQs Not-for-Profit FAQs The Not-for-Profit practice at Schneider Downs takes great pride in helping our clients answer the questions that matter most to their organizations. We’ve learned that often there are other organizations with very similar queries. We'd love to hear from you if you have a question for our not-for-profit team and don’t see it listed. Send us a question at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. General NFP FAQs What are the key differences between not-for-profit (NFP) and for-profit entities? NFPs have no owners and therefore do not distribute profit​ Differing revenue streams​ NFP entities receive contributions, grants and/or membership dues​ For-profit entities sell goods or services​ NFP return (Form 990) is a public document​ NFP entities are generally exempt from income taxes (if approved by IRS)​ NFP may need to comply with solicitation rules in various states and other jurisdictions where they raise funds. What are the key differences between not-for-profit (NFP) and for-profit financial statements? Statement of financial position (NFP) v. balance sheet​ (for-profit) Net assets (NFP) vs. stockholder’s equity​ (for-profit) Statement of activities (NFP) vs. statement of operations​ (for-profit) NFPs have a statement of functional expenses​ Present expenses by program and general and administrative rather than by natural category (salaries, rent, etc.)​ What are net assets with donor restrictions? Net assets with donor restrictions are net assets subject to donor-imposed restrictions and are generally legally binding. Some donor-imposed restrictions are temporary in nature, such as those that will be met by the passage of time or other events specified by the donor. Other donor-imposed restrictions are perpetual in nature, where the donor stipulates those resources be maintained in perpetuity. Gifts of long-lived assets and gifts of cash restricted for the acquisition of long-lived assets are recognized as revenue when the assets are placed in service. Donor-imposed restrictions are released when a restriction expires, that is, when the stipulated time has elapsed when the stipulated purpose for which the resource was restricted has been fulfilled, or both. As a reminder, only donors can create or relieve these types of restrictions. Any restrictions that are created by the organization (board or management) are not subject to the same legal requirements and restrictions and can be changed. NFPs have no owners and therefore do not distribute profit​ Differing revenue streams​ NFP entities receive contributions, grants and/or membership dues​ For-profit entities sell goods or services​ NFP return (Form 990) is a public document​ NFP entities are generally exempt from income taxes (if approved by IRS)​ NFP may need to comply with solicitation rules in various states and other jurisdictions where they raise funds. Statement of financial position (NFP) v. balance sheet​ (for-profit) Net assets (NFP) vs. stockholder’s equity​ (for-profit) Statement of activities (NFP) vs. statement of operations​ (for-profit) NFPs have a statement of functional expenses​ Present expenses by program and general and administrative rather than by natural category (salaries, rent, etc.)​ Net assets with donor restrictions are net assets subject to donor-imposed restrictions and are generally legally binding. Some donor-imposed restrictions are temporary in nature, such as those that will be met by the passage of time or other events specified by the donor. Other donor-imposed restrictions are perpetual in nature, where the donor stipulates those resources be maintained in perpetuity. Gifts of long-lived assets and gifts of cash restricted for the acquisition of long-lived assets are recognized as revenue when the assets are placed in service. Donor-imposed restrictions are released when a restriction expires, that is, when the stipulated time has elapsed when the stipulated purpose for which the resource was restricted has been fulfilled, or both. As a reminder, only donors can create or relieve these types of restrictions. Any restrictions that are created by the organization (board or management) are not subject to the same legal requirements and restrictions and can be changed. Higher Education FAQs Why does my institution of higher education have so many compliance requirements? The answer is that it is largely driven by all the significant and varying forms of grants that higher education institutions receive from federal, state and other grantors. Each specific grant, such as those related to financial aid, will require the institution to adhere to the underlying guidelines promulgated by the awarding agency. Compliance challenges can be significant, but the overall amount that institutions receive from these awards is typically very significant, both qualitatively and quantitatively, to the institution. Typically, compliance requirements change on an annual basis and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publishes an updated compliance supplement annually that includes the most recent compliance requirements. Does my institution of higher education have contract liabilities under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606 Revenue from Contracts with Customers? The answer depends on your fiscal year and the timing of any programs you run where you received amounts from the ‘customer’ before fiscal year-end, but the overall performance obligation has not been satisfied yet as the program runs to completion after the fiscal year ends. This situation can be common at many institutions that offer summer or other programs that don’t align with the institution’s fiscal year-end date. The answer is that it is largely driven by all the significant and varying forms of grants that higher education institutions receive from federal, state and other grantors. Each specific grant, such as those related to financial aid, will require the institution to adhere to the underlying guidelines promulgated by the awarding agency. Compliance challenges can be significant, but the overall amount that institutions receive from these awards is typically very significant, both qualitatively and quantitatively, to the institution. Typically, compliance requirements change on an annual basis and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publishes an updated compliance supplement annually that includes the most recent compliance requirements. The answer depends on your fiscal year and the timing of any programs you run where you received amounts from the ‘customer’ before fiscal year-end, but the overall performance obligation has not been satisfied yet as the program runs to completion after the fiscal year ends. This situation can be common at many institutions that offer summer or other programs that don’t align with the institution’s fiscal year-end date. Single Audit FAQs What triggers a Federal Single Audit? Currently, any organization that expends more than $750,000 of federal financial assistance is subject to a single audit. In April 2024, this threshold was increased to $1,000,000 for fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2024. Organizations with fiscal years ending June 30, 2024 and 2025 are still subject to a single audit if they have more than $750,000 of federal financial assistance but will see relief in the single audits for fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and beyond if they expend less than $1,000,000. Calendar year organizations will see relief for years ending December 31, 2025. For more information on recent changes, visit our article at Single Audits and the 2024 Uniform Grant Guidance. Do I have any special filing requirements if I received more than Single Audit threshold? If you exceed the thresholds above and you have an audit completed, you are required to file your audit with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (“FAC”) within 9 months of your fiscal year-end. You will need to complete the Data Collection Form (DCF) which includes information about your organization as well as information about the results of your audit. As part of this filing, the full text of your financial statements will be publicly available on the FAC site. In addition, Institutions of Higher Education need to complete an annual filing via the U.S. Department of Education’s Ez-Audit system. Currently, any organization that expends more than $750,000 of federal financial assistance is subject to a single audit. In April 2024, this threshold was increased to $1,000,000 for fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2024. Organizations with fiscal years ending June 30, 2024 and 2025 are still subject to a single audit if they have more than $750,000 of federal financial assistance but will see relief in the single audits for fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and beyond if they expend less than $1,000,000. Calendar year organizations will see relief for years ending December 31, 2025. For more information on recent changes, visit our article at Single Audits and the 2024 Uniform Grant Guidance. If you exceed the thresholds above and you have an audit completed, you are required to file your audit with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (“FAC”) within 9 months of your fiscal year-end. You will need to complete the Data Collection Form (DCF) which includes information about your organization as well as information about the results of your audit. As part of this filing, the full text of your financial statements will be publicly available on the FAC site. In addition, Institutions of Higher Education need to complete an annual filing via the U.S. Department of Education’s Ez-Audit system. Accounting Treatment FAQs Are government grants considered a contribution or an exchange transaction? An exchange transaction is defined as a reciprocal transfer whereby each party receives and sacrifices something of approximately equal value. Government grants most often benefit the general public and are therefore considered contributions. Contributions should be accounted for in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 958. For more information visit our article on accounting for Exchange versus Contribution transactions and the associated impact of the Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) standard. How do I account for donated space under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842? ASC 842 defines a lease as: a contract, or part of a contract, that conveys the right of control and the use of identified property, plant, and equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Because no consideration is exchanged for the use of the space, donated space does not meet the definition of a lease under ASC 842.  Donated space should continue to be accounted for under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-07. An exchange transaction is defined as a reciprocal transfer whereby each party receives and sacrifices something of approximately equal value. Government grants most often benefit the general public and are therefore considered contributions. Contributions should be accounted for in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 958. For more information visit our article on accounting for Exchange versus Contribution transactions and the associated impact of the Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) standard. ASC 842 defines a lease as: a contract, or part of a contract, that conveys the right of control and the use of identified property, plant, and equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Because no consideration is exchanged for the use of the space, donated space does not meet the definition of a lease under ASC 842.  Donated space should continue to be accounted for under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-07. Tax Related FAQs Do I have to file a Form 990 series return if my organization’s exemption is still pending with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”)? Yes. Newly formed non-profit organizations that don’t have their IRS Exemption Determination Letter yet are still required to file an appropriate Form 990 series return. Are tax-exempt organizations required to pay tax on investment income? Generally, investment income such as interest, dividends, royalties and capital gains are excluded from taxable income under Section 512 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, there are certain scenarios when investment income is considered Unrelated Business Income (“UBI”) and is subject to the corporate income tax. For example, income from debt-financed property and income from controlled entities may be considered UBI. In addition, certain private foundations are required to pay tax on their net investment income annually as reported on their Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. What are the filing thresholds for Forms 990-N, 990-EZ, 990? Form 990-N, e-Postcard – Annual gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less. Gross receipts are the total amounts the organization received from all sources during the accounting period (expenses are not deducted) Gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less if the organization: In existence 1 year or less: Received $75,000 or less during its first tax year In existence 1-3 years: Averaged $60,000 or less in gross receipts in each of the first two periods. In existence over 3 years: Averaged $50,000 or less in gross receipts for the immediately preceding 3 years (starting with current tax year Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax – Annual gross receipts less than $200,000 and total assets at year-end of less than $500,000. Gross receipts are calculated the same as for 990-N Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax – Annual gross receipts greater than or equal to $200,000 or total assets at year-end greater than or equal to $500,000. In addition, certain private foundations are required to pay tax on their net investment income annually as reported on their Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. What are the public disclosure requirements for Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, and where can I find an organization’s return? Exempt organizations must make their annual information return (Forms 990, 990-EZ or 990-N) available for three years. Schedule B, which lists the individual names, addresses and the amount of the contributions from your donors that exceed a threshold, is not subject to public disclosure requirements for public charities. However, private foundations must disclose Schedule B. A copy of the information return does not have to be provided if the form is publicly available online, but the form must be available for in-person inspection. Below are some common websites that provide public disclosure copies of tax-exempt organization returns: IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search  Guidestar ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer  What is a donor-advised fund (“DAF”)? A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a fund or account that is separately identified by reference to contributions of a donor or donors, that is owned and controlled by a sponsoring organization; and with respect to which a donor (or any person appointed or designated by the donor, i.e. a “donor advisor”) has, or reasonably expects to have, advisory privileges with respect to the distribution or investment of amounts held in the fund or account by reason of the donor’s status as a donor. When a taxpayer contributes cash, securities, or other assets to a donor-advised fund, they are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. What is a donor acknowledgement letter and what is required to be included in the letter? A donor acknowledgment letter is a formal letter sent by a charitable organization to a donor to acknowledge and thank them for their contribution. This letter expresses the organization’s appreciation for the donor’s generosity, helping to build a positive relationship and encouraging future donations.  In addition, the letter provides support for the donor’s tax documentation. For donations of $250 or more, the IRS requires a written acknowledgment for the donor to claim a tax deduction. This acknowledgment must include the name of the organization, the amount of any cash contribution, a description (but not the value) of any non-cash contributions, and a statement regarding whether any goods or services were provided in exchange for the donation. For more information visit our article Reminders on Completing Donor Acknowledgement Letters. Yes. Newly formed non-profit organizations that don’t have their IRS Exemption Determination Letter yet are still required to file an appropriate Form 990 series return. Generally, investment income such as interest, dividends, royalties and capital gains are excluded from taxable income under Section 512 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, there are certain scenarios when investment income is considered Unrelated Business Income (“UBI”) and is subject to the corporate income tax. For example, income from debt-financed property and income from controlled entities may be considered UBI. In addition, certain private foundations are required to pay tax on their net investment income annually as reported on their Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Form 990-N, e-Postcard - Annual gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less. Gross receipts are the total amounts the organization received from all sources during the accounting period (expenses are not deducted) Gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less if the organization: In existence 1 year or less: Received $75,000 or less during its first tax year In existence 1-3 years: Averaged $60,000 or less in gross receipts in each of the first two periods. In existence over 3 years: Averaged $50,000 or less in gross receipts for the immediately preceding 3 years (starting with current tax year Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax – Annual gross receipts less than $200,000 and total assets at year-end of less than $500,000. Gross receipts are calculated the same as for 990-N Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax – Annual gross receipts greater than or equal to $200,000 or total assets at year-end greater than or equal to $500,000. In addition, certain private foundations are required to pay tax on their net investment income annually as reported on their Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Exempt organizations must make their annual information return (Forms 990, 990-EZ or 990-N) available for three years. Schedule B, which lists the individual names, addresses and the amount of the contributions from your donors that exceed a threshold, is not subject to public disclosure requirements for public charities. However, private foundations must disclose Schedule B. A copy of the information return does not have to be provided if the form is publicly available online, but the form must be available for in-person inspection. Below are some common websites that provide public disclosure copies of tax-exempt organization returns: IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search  Guidestar ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer  A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a fund or account that is separately identified by reference to contributions of a donor or donors, that is owned and controlled by a sponsoring organization; and with respect to which a donor (or any person appointed or designated by the donor, i.e. a "donor advisor") has, or reasonably expects to have, advisory privileges with respect to the distribution or investment of amounts held in the fund or account by reason of the donor’s status as a donor. When a taxpayer contributes cash, securities, or other assets to a donor-advised fund, they are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. A donor acknowledgment letter is a formal letter sent by a charitable organization to a donor to acknowledge and thank them for their contribution. This letter expresses the organization's appreciation for the donor's generosity, helping to build a positive relationship and encouraging future donations.  In addition, the letter provides support for the donor’s tax documentation. For donations of $250 or more, the IRS requires a written acknowledgment for the donor to claim a tax deduction. This acknowledgment must include the name of the organization, the amount of any cash contribution, a description (but not the value) of any non-cash contributions, and a statement regarding whether any goods or services were provided in exchange for the donation. For more information visit our article Reminders on Completing Donor Acknowledgement Letters. About Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Services Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day. We provide valuable insight to not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and their boards through our assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services and not-for-profit fund accounting software. To learn more, visit our Not-for-Profit Industry Group page. OUR THOUGHTS ON Senator Wyden's Memo: Potential Revenue-Generating Changes and Their Implications Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) memo from House Budget Committee Republicans outlines options that the committee is considering in order to… Read More > Understanding Donated Space Under Accounting Standards Codification 842 Accounting for leases has undergone significant changes with the introduction of Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) 842. Under ASC 842, right-of-use… Read More > IRS Releases six annual revenue procedures for 2025 The IRS has released six annual revenue procedures for 2025 in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2025-1. This article will focus on… Read More > Uniform Guidance: De Minimis Rate Increase for Indirect Costs October 1, 2024 marked the effective date for exciting changes to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance for… Read More > Reminders on Completing Donor Acknowledgment Letters As 2024 comes to a close, it’s important that tax-exempt organizations provide acknowledgment letters to donors for charitable contributions that… Read More > Back to the Basis: Form 990, Part VII Reporting By law, tax-exempt organizations are required to report directors, trustees, officers, key and highest-compensated employees, and certain individuals who formerly… Read More > Time Extended for Tax-Exempt Organizations to Claim Direct Payment of Certain Energy Credits Internal Revenue Code Section 6417 allows certain tax-exempt entities to make an elective payment election for tax credits, treating the… Read More > ### Accounting Optimization Assessments Future-proof your accounting function with Accounting Optimization Assessments. PRIMARY CONTACT: Carley TaslovThe accounting function is the heartbeat of thriving organizations. If designed appropriately, accounting functions play an instrumental role in helping organizations both execute strategy and maintain sustainable growth. Outdated accounting functions can impact the bottom line through financial mismanagement, compliance issues, missed opportunities and operational inefficiencies. It is essential to ensure your accounting function is performing effectively.Accounting Optimization Assessments (AOA) are a crucial first step toward developing a best-in-class accounting function. These assessments help organizations identify fundamental issues in processes, policies, people and technology through a comprehensive and objective evaluation.Is your accounting function struggling to keep pace with demands? Our Accounting Optimization Assessments help organizations evaluate and discover actionable steps to strengthen their accounting functions. Our assessments provide a roadmap to increased operational efficiency and empower accountants to allocate resources strategically while maximizing benefits in alignment with organizational priorities and goals.Accounting Optimization Assessments Assist Organizations in Navigating Common Events and ChallengesAccelerated growth outpacing current accounting capabilitiesAcquisitions or divestituresDelays in month-end closeKey changes in management or significant employee turnoverRecent fraud or accounting errorsSignificant use of Excel to manipulate data for reportingSuccession planning for long-tenured employeesUntimely or inaccurate operational or financial information needed to make informed business decisions Benefits of Accounting Optimization Assessments Our solutions help accounting functions identify the high-level steps needed to optimize and align processes, technology and human capital resources. We help clients adopt an experience-driven, outcome-focused strategy enriched with business expertise across numerous industries.Data Accessibility and Reliability — Improve data visibility and ensure completeness and accuracy of financial reporting data.Employee Engagement — Alleviate unnecessary or redundant tasks, allowing employees to focus on higher-value-added activities.Increased Revenue — Gain better visibility into your processes, people and technology to identify new growth opportunities and take action on patterns and trends that would have otherwise remained hidden.Improved Reporting and Analytics — Improve timeliness and availability of financial and accounting reporting and analytics to better support business insights and decision-making.Reduced Cost —Save time and money by pinpointing cost-saving opportunities across your resources, including staff restructuring.Reduced Fraud Risk — Identify potential fraud prevention measures.Streamlined and Standardized Processes — Reduce process inefficiencies and create additional efficiencies through policies, standard operating procedures, financial reporting and internal controls.Objective, Third-Party Perspective — Eliminate internal biases in the decision-making process and rely on external expertise to provide an objective and holistic action plan to set you up for success.Ready to Get Started?Contact us and let us know how we can help.Interested in a more in-depth Business Optimization Assessment? Our Business Process Optimization services result in comprehensive assessments of an organization’s key business processes to ensure an in-depth action plan for transforming core operational, finance and information technology processes.About Schneider Downs Risk AdvisoryOur team of experienced risk advisory professionals focuses on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization but drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Our Thoughts On Accounting for Success – The Importance of Accounting Optimization Assessments in 2025 A big part of reaching business goals comes down to your accounting function. Is it designed to support your growth… Read More > SDWMA Investment Corner: Impacts of a Potential Tariff Trade War On February 1, 2025, the White House announced new tariffs on imports on its three top trading partners, Canada, Mexico… Read More > 2025 Tax Legislation – A Long and Winding Road to “One Big Beautiful Bill”?” Now that President Trump is in the White House, and a new and differently configured Congress is back in session,… Read More > Senator Wyden's Memo: Potential Revenue-Generating Changes and Their Implications Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) memo from House Budget Committee Republicans outlines options that the committee is considering in order to… Read More > What to Do with Excess Money in a 529 Plan Section 529 plans were created in 1996 to help American families manage the cost of education. These accounts allow for… Read More > Senator Wyden's Memo: Potential Revenue-Generating Changes and Their Implications In recent weeks, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) published a memo from House Budget Committee Republicans on his social media accounts.… Read More > ### IT Risk Advisory IT Risk Advisory Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Meet our team Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise Schneider Downs’ IT Risk Advisory professionals help organizations gain valuable insights into their processes and technologies. A well-planned, properly structured information technology (IT) audit program is essential to evaluate risk management practices, internal control systems, and compliance with regulations and corporate policies. Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning and Table Top Exercises Deliver sound risk management… Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Services (CMMC) Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider… Data Privacy Services Data Privacy Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… FFIEC IT Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… GDPR Compliance Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… HIPAA Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… HITRUST HITRUST Information Technology Audit Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. With… InfoSec Policy Templates Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… IRS Publication 1075 Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. To… ISO 27001 Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. ISO… IT General Controls Audit Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. IT… IT Risk Assessment Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Prior… Network Device Security Configuration Assessment Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. It… NIST The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The National Institute of… Payment Card Industry Security Standard Compliance PCI DSS Compliance Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Deliver sound risk… SAP Audits and Controls SAP Audits and Controls PRIMARY CONTACT: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP Schneider… Sarbanes-Oxley Solutions Sarbanes-Oxley Solutions Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance… SOC Practice Overview SOC Practice Overview Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… Third-Party Risk Management Third-Party Risk Management Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections Our dedicated IT Risk Advisory professionals have experience working with various industries and companies of all sizes. We will partner with you to provide comprehensive IT audits and compliance reviews to ensure your organization has effective and efficient technology controls that better align the technology function with its business and risk strategies. Our IT Risk Advisory practice ensures your organization will be risk-focused with sound IT controls, timely resolution of audit deficiencies, and informs the board of directors of the effectiveness of risk management practices. https://youtu.be/-H1DrQiFJZ4 Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP OUR THOUGHTS ON User Access Reviews: 16 Tips to Meet Auditor Expectations How can you understand and meet auditor expectations on complete user access reviews? While access reviews can range in complexity,… Read More > Top Five Emerging Risks for Assurance Leaders in 2025: What You Need to Know Learn about the top five emerging risks enterprise assurance leaders may face in 2025 based on Gartner’s most recent Quarterly… Read More > Top 3 Emerging Privacy Trends for 2025 As we progress through 2025, data privacy laws are surging in number and scale. Approximately 70% of nations have enacted… Read More > 5 Practical Tips for Data Privacy in 2025 It’s Data Privacy Week 2025, and in today’s digital age, maintaining data privacy is more critical than ever. As recognized… Read More > Postcard from 2024 ISACA PGH What were the hot topics at the 11th Annual Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day? The ISACA Pittsburgh chapter held their… Read More > ### Cybersecurity Consulting Cybersecurity Consulting Identify Vulnerabilities. Mitigate Risks. Schneider Downs can help your organization to be better prepared. Meet Our Team Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise The sophistication and frequency of cyber-attacks is on the rise. Recent breach reports have outlined the fact that attacks are exploiting security weaknesses faster and easier than ever before and most organizations are not adequately equipped to defend themselves. Active Directory Security Assessment Active Directory Security Assessment Strengthen Active Directory Security and Compliance Against Cyber… Cloud Security Configuration Assessment Cloud Security Configuration Assessment Identify Misconfigurations and Compliance Gaps to Strengthen Cloud… Continuous Cybersecurity Framework Assessments Continuous Cybersecurity Framework Assessments Build Cyber Resilience Through Continuous Security Framework Assessments… Digital Forensics & Incident Response Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. In… External Footprint Analysis Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Schneider… Firewall Configuration Review Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Schneider… Incident Response Plan Development, Testing, & Training Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Data… Intrusion Prevention / Detection Review Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. It… IT Risk Advisory IT Risk Advisory Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… Penetration Testing Network Penetration Testing Understand Your Cybersecurity Gaps and Strengthen Resilience Our network… Purple Team Assessments Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Do… Social Engineering Simulate Real-World Attacks to Identify Weaknesses and Raise User Awareness Social Engineering… Threat Hunting Threat Hunting Proactive Human-Led Threat Detection That Maximizes Existing Security Investments Just… vCISO vCiso Executive Strategy and Expertise for Risk Management and Business Resilience In… Web Application Penetration Testing Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Web… See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections Schneider Downs can help your organization to be better prepared. We offer a comprehensive set of information technology (IT) security services, including network penetration assessments, network vulnerability assessments, web application security testing, IT security maturity assessments and more. Schneider Downs’ team of network security specialists, application configuration specialists, implementation consultants and certified information system auditors can assist your organization with an objective assessment, identifying crucial information and key security risks, and assisting with the implementation of industry best-practice security standards to mitigate these risks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TnyjO_OnhI&t=2s Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question We Are hiring! Build an exceptional career with diverse, talented people who are among the most respected in their fields. View jobs Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Miami (FL) Quality of Earnings Reports - Miami (FL) When it comes to buying or selling a Miami or Florida  business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Miami QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Miami and across Florida.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Miami (FL) Miami's business community is a dynamic mix of international trade, tourism, real estate, finance, and a burgeoning tech sector. As a gateway to Latin America, Miami has long been a hub for international commerce, with the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport supporting robust import-export activities. This strategic location has also fostered a diverse economy with a strong focus on finance, as global banks and investment firms leverage Miami’s unique access to international markets. Tourism is a cornerstone of the local economy, with Miami’s beaches, cultural events, and year-round warm climate drawing millions of visitors annually. This sector supports a wide range of businesses, from hospitality and dining to luxury retail and entertainment. Real estate and construction are also integral to Miami’s growth, driven by high demand for residential and commercial properties and attracting investment from both domestic and international buyers. Recently, Miami has emerged as a growing tech hub, appealing to startups and tech companies with its favorable tax policies and increasing venture capital presence. Initiatives like Miami Tech Week and the eMerge Americas conference have solidified the city’s reputation as a hotspot for tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Miami’s multicultural population, strong infrastructure, and pro-business climate make it attractive to a broad range of industries, while its entrepreneurial spirit and global connections continue to drive economic expansion and diversification. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Cheyenne (WY) Quality of Earnings Reports -Cheyenne (WY) When it comes to buying or selling a Cheyenne or Wyoming business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Little Rock QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Cheyenne and across Wyoming.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Cheyenne (WY) Wyoming's business community is rooted in natural resources, agriculture, tourism, and a growing focus on technology and renewable energy. The state has long been known for its energy sector, with coal, oil, and natural gas production forming a significant part of its economy. While traditional energy continues to play a major role, Wyoming is increasingly diversifying into renewable sources, especially wind energy, taking advantage of its vast open spaces and favorable conditions. The agricultural industry is also fundamental to Wyoming’s economy, with cattle ranching and farming contributing heavily to local communities and supporting ancillary businesses in machinery, feed, and distribution.Tourism is another critical industry, driven by the state’s iconic natural attractions such as Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Devil’s Tower. These destinations bring in millions of visitors annually, boosting sectors like hospitality, retail, and outdoor recreation. Small businesses that cater to tourists, such as outfitters, lodging providers, and local artisans, thrive in this environment, adding unique local charm to Wyoming’s economy. Wyoming’s business climate is notably favorable for entrepreneurs and companies seeking low tax burdens, as the state has no corporate or individual income tax ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Little Rock (AR) Quality of Earnings Reports -Little Rock (AR) When it comes to buying or selling a Little Rock or Arkansas business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Little Rock QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Little Rock and across Arkansas.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Little Rock (AR) The business community in Little Rock, Arkansas, is marked by a mix of industries that support both local and regional economic growth. Known as a hub for healthcare, finance, and government services, Little Rock hosts several hospitals, clinics, and health institutions, including the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which is a major healthcare provider and research facility in the state. Financial services also play a central role, with several banks and insurance companies contributing significantly to the local economy. Additionally, Little Rock benefits from a range of government offices and agencies due to its status as the state capital, which creates substantial opportunities in public sector contracting and consulting. Retail, education, and logistics are also important sectors, with retail being supported by a diverse customer base and logistics driven by Little Rock’s strategic position along the Arkansas River and major highways, making it a transit and distribution center for the region. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - St. Louis (MO) Quality of Earnings Reports - St. Louis (MO) When it comes to buying or selling a St. Louis or Missouri business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our St. Louis QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in St. Louis and across Missouri.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About St. Louis (MO) St. Louis has a dynamic business community shaped by a mix of long-standing industries and an increasingly innovative startup scene. The city is home to a diverse range of industries, with healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and transportation logistics forming the backbone of its economy. Major corporations such as Boeing, Centene, and Emerson have deep roots in St. Louis, contributing to its status as a hub for aerospace, healthcare services, and engineering. The healthcare sector is particularly robust, anchored by major institutions like BJC HealthCare and Washington University School of Medicine, which not only provide extensive employment but also drive advancements in medical research and biotechnology. The financial sector is also well-represented, with several banks and financial service companies headquartered or holding a significant presence in St. Louis, fostering a stable economic foundation. The city has embraced a supportive environment for startups, especially in tech and biotech, thanks to organizations like Arch Grants and the Cortex Innovation Community, which provide resources, funding, and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs. This innovation district, along with numerous co-working spaces and incubators, has helped attract a younger, tech-savvy workforce and has driven new investments into the city. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Buffalo (NY) Quality of Earnings Reports - BUffalo (NY) When it comes to buying or selling a Buffalo or New York business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Buffalo QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Buffalo and across New York.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Buffalo (NY) Buffalo’s business community has seen a significant revitalization over recent years, blending its industrial heritage with modern innovation and development. Once heavily reliant on manufacturing and the steel industry, Buffalo has diversified its economy, now focusing on sectors such as healthcare, financial services, and renewable energy. The healthcare industry, anchored by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, has become a cornerstone of the local economy, providing numerous jobs and supporting biomedical research initiatives. This campus also acts as a hub for healthcare innovation, attracting partnerships with research institutions and spurring economic activity. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Salt Lake (UT) Quality of Earnings Reports - Salt Lake (UT) When it comes to buying or selling a Salt Lake City or Utah business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Salt Lake City QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Salt Lake and across Utah.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Salt Lake City (UT) Salt Lake City's business community is thriving, bolstered by a blend of established corporations, emerging startups, and a strategic location in the Mountain West. The city’s economy is notably diverse, with key sectors including technology, healthcare, financial services, and outdoor recreation. The “Silicon Slopes” tech corridor, encompassing Salt Lake City and neighboring areas, has become a significant tech hub, attracting substantial investments and innovation, particularly in software, cloud computing, and fintech.Additionally, the healthcare industry is robust, with Intermountain Healthcare serving as a major player and anchor institution in the region. Financial services have also grown, as evidenced by the presence of large financial firms and a burgeoning fintech scene. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Wilmington (DE) Quality of Earnings Reports - Wilmington (DE) When it comes to buying or selling a Wilmington or Delaware business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Wilmington QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Wilmington and across Delaware.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Wilmington (DE) Wilmington, Delaware, thrives as a prominent financial hub, particularly known for its influence in the banking and credit card industries. Major corporations, including many Fortune 500 financial services firms, have established operations in Wilmington due to favorable state tax laws and regulatory conditions. Beyond finance, Wilmington has also embraced a growing technology and innovation sector, supported by state-led initiatives that attract tech startups and foster a culture of innovation. The city’s strategic location, close to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York, also benefits its diverse economy. Wilmington’s small businesses, legal firms, and healthcare facilities play crucial roles in the community, further driving its economic resilience. The Port of Wilmington, one of the busiest on the East Coast, adds another dimension to the local economy, supporting logistics, manufacturing, and international trade. This multi-faceted approach makes Wilmington an attractive city for a range of industries ### Audit Services Case Studies Audit Case Studies Risk Assessment Compliance Internal Controls Financial Reporting Data Analytics Fraud Detection Regulatory Requirements Quality Control Operational Efficiency Performance Improvement Sustainability Reporting Explore Audit Services Case Studies Learn how our audit services have helped businesses manage risk, ensure compliance, enhance operational efficiency and more. 30 Years and Counting: Transitioning Leadership, Evolving Business Structure, Stewarding Expansion Starting Early: Delivering a Timely Audit with a Proactive Approach Powering Progress: Energy Expertise Fuels Seamless Partnership and Long-Term Growth Big Thinking and Personal Focus: A Decade of Excellence with a Complex, Multi-Faceted Entity From Providers to Partners: Continuously Tailored Solutions for Record-Breaking Closing Timelines From Acquisition to Audit: Guiding a SaaS Company Through a Seamless Start Compliance Crisis to Clean Slate: Preparing a 401K Plan for Clean Audit Ready for Anything: Long-standing Bonds Enable Swift Responses in Dynamic Climate Raising the Bar: Value-Added Services Supercharge Success About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance ServicesSchneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all their audit and assurance needs. We apply the experience of more than 60 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans.Learn more about our Audit and Assurance Services or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Stamford (CT) Quality of Earnings Reports - Stamford (CT) When it comes to buying or selling a Stamford or Connecticut business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Wichita QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Stamford and across Connecticut.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Stamford (CT) Stamford, Connecticut, is a thriving business hub known for its concentration of corporate headquarters, financial services, and a growing technology sector. Its proximity to New York City makes it a strategic location for businesses looking to benefit from metropolitan access while enjoying a more cost-effective setting. Stamford has attracted several Fortune 500 companies, particularly in finance, insurance, and consumer goods, with firms like Charter Communications, Synchrony Financial, and WWE maintaining headquarters in the city.Financial services are a cornerstone of the Stamford economy, with hedge funds, investment firms, and insurance companies contributing to its reputation as a financial center. Real estate and development are also significant, as Stamford continues to experience a surge in residential and commercial construction, transforming the downtown area into a bustling, modern district. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - New Orleans Quality of Earnings Reports - New Orleans (LA) When it comes to buying or selling a New Orleans or Louisiana business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Wichita QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in New Orleans and across Louisiana.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About New Orleans (LA) New Orleans boasts a diverse and resilient business community, deeply rooted in its cultural heritage while evolving to embrace modern industries. Tourism and hospitality remain central to the economy, driven by the city’s unique culture, festivals such as Mardi Gras, and attractions like the French Quarter. Hotels, restaurants, and event spaces generate significant revenue and employment, contributing to the city’s global appeal.Beyond tourism, New Orleans has a strong energy sector, with a focus on oil and gas production as well as emerging renewable energy initiatives. The Port of New Orleans is a critical economic engine, supporting trade, shipping, and logistics along the Mississippi River and connecting the region to global markets. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Wichita (KS) Quality of Earnings Reports - Wichita (KS) When it comes to buying or selling a Wichita or Kansas business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Wichita QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Wichita and across Kansas.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Wichita (KS) Wichita, Kansas, is a vital economic center known for its leadership in aerospace manufacturing, earning it the title "Air Capital of the World." Major aerospace companies such as Textron Aviation, Spirit AeroSystems, and Bombardier maintain significant operations in the area, driving innovation and employment. This industry forms the backbone of the local economy, with a well-developed supply chain and a highly skilled workforce supporting aircraft production, maintenance, and engineering.In addition to aerospace, Wichita has a strong presence in advanced manufacturing and industrial production, with companies involved in machinery, transportation equipment, and chemicals. The healthcare sector also plays a key role, with major providers like Ascension Via Christi and Wesley Medical Center offering critical services and employment opportunities. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Richmond (VA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Richmond (VA) When it comes to buying or selling a Richmond or Virginia business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Richmond QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Richmond and across Virginia.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Richmond (VA) Richmond, Virginia, boasts a dynamic and diverse business community with a strong blend of industries, reflecting both its historical roots and modern economic development. As the state capital, government and public administration remain key sectors, with numerous state agencies and federal offices contributing to the local economy. Additionally, the city's central location along the Eastern Seaboard makes it a vital hub for logistics and distribution.The finance and insurance industries are central to Richmond’s economy, with the presence of major institutions such as Capital One Financial, Genworth Financial, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. These companies foster a business-friendly environment and attract talent from across the region. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Dallas (TX) Quality of Earnings Reports - Dallas (TX) When it comes to buying or selling a Dallas or Texas business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Dallas QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Dallas and across Texas.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Dallas (TX) Dallas is a powerhouse business hub with a highly diversified economy, known for its strength in finance, technology, healthcare, logistics, and real estate. The city benefits from its strategic location within the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex, which offers easy access to national and international markets. Dallas serves as the headquarters for several Fortune 500 companies, including AT&T, Southwest Airlines, and Texas Instruments, solidifying its reputation as a center for corporate activity and innovation.The finance and banking sectors are particularly prominent, with Dallas being home to major institutions such as Comerica Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The technology sector is thriving as well, driven by companies involved in telecommunications, software development, and data management, thanks to the city's growing tech infrastructure and talent pipeline. ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Tulsa (OK) Quality of Earnings Reports - Tulsa (OK) When it comes to buying or selling a Tulsa or Oklahoma business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Tulsa QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Tulsa and across Oklahoma.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Tulsa (OK) The Tulsa business community is a vibrant and evolving hub that leverages its rich history in energy and manufacturing while embracing growth in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and aerospace. Historically known as the “Oil Capital of the World,” the energy industry still plays a significant role, with several oil and gas companies and service providers maintaining operations in the region. However, Tulsa has successfully diversified its economy over recent decades, reducing reliance on oil by nurturing new industries.Aerospace and aviation have emerged as vital contributors to the local economy, with Tulsa International Airport serving as both a regional hub and a center for maintenance and engineering operations. American Airlines' Maintenance and Engineering Base, one of the largest in the world, is located here, further strengthening the city’s position in the aerospace sector. ### Opt Out Of All Communications Opt out of all communications ### Audit Case Study - Multi-Location, Multi-generational, recently transitioned construction client How it Started Relationship Building Through Schneider Downs’ high-profile work within the construction industry throughout our region, our Firm enjoyed a friendly relationship with a closely-held, multi-location, multi-entity, multi-generational construction company, even though they weren’t a client (yet). Our two organizations shared many common relationships, including insurers, bankers, and peers from the industry. This familiarity led to the opportunity to take our relationship further. Born Ready Constructing Solutions The organization soon realized that its current provider was facing capacity challenges, which were becoming apparent in the service they received. Recognizing that Schneider Downs had both experience and a sizable construction accounting team, the company approached our firm to discuss a possible relationship. What began as an invitation to assist with their current need soon evolved into deeper discussions about more proactive and complex business solutions that the company had previously not explored. From our initial meeting about the audit and tax work, our teams began identifying areas of interest. We noticed they were accounting for their extensive leasing activities manually, and were without a formalized process or plan. When we offered to set them up with our simpLEASE software, they endorsed the idea immediately. Along the way, Schneider Downs introduced several additional service ideas that could present new opportunities to the client – soon we were engaged to do their corporate audit, 401k audit, extensive tax work, including individual taxes for the owners and lease accounting, as well as assist with valuation projects. Because the client was so interested in new ideas, they were especially receptive to the “best practices” conversations led by our construction experts. Collectively, our services helped them not only address current needs but also identify opportunities to prepare for the future. How it's Going Tackling Delays with Expert Guidance Quality relationships are worth the wait….and the effort. Schneider Downs built a dedicated team of construction experts to tackle these assignments collectively, and, after an excellent first year, that same team will return in its entirety. In that first year, because our teams worked together so closely, we quickly identified that a restructuring initiative had exacerbated some delays in preparing financial statements for audit. So, to assist their overextended finance department, the Schneider Downs team took that responsibility off their hands. Problem solved. It’s what good partners do. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met. To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page. ### Audit Case Study - Nationally-renowned Geotechnical Engineering and Construction Firm How it Started Estimating the Best FitTwenty-five years ago, one of our current clients faced a dilemma. As the local arm of one of the largest construction contractors in the world, they had extremely tight audit deadlines from their group auditors. Because they needed a firm with both the capacity and deep industry expertise to meet those deadlines, they believed their options were limited to working with a Big 4 firm. However, they found that the traditional “Big Four” approach wasn’t ideal for their unique needs, and they searched for a better value proposition. If they were to invest in professional services, they wanted partners who would know their organization like the back of their hands. In light of its extensive experience in the construction industry, Schneider Downs was identified as the ideal for this assignment. No Surprises A Blueprint for SuccessIt was immediately apparent that to meet the type of deadlines set out by the group auditor, there could be no room for error or a learning curve. This wasn’t a “learn-as-you-go” procedure—we had to come in with the expertise to get the job done. Fortuitously, our robust construction practice was equipped to handle everything that came up. Whether it be accounting for claims, variable considerations, multi-year projects, or joint ventures, our experience prepared us to achieve a successful, timely audit. Each year, we sat down with the client, took stock of what was going on in their business, and laid out exactly what we needed to do to meet the deadline that year. We helped them get their arms around a daunting process by walking back each year’s audit map, calendar and close process. We committed to codeveloping the plan that worked best for them. Simply put, we plan the work and work the plan. How it's Going A Well-Oiled Machine We’ve been together for 25 years, weathering multiple ownership transitions, changes in group auditors and countless complex business activities. At the core of the relationship is a mutual appreciation and commitment to the project at hand – on-time delivery. The audit process has become a well-oiled machine thanks to our robust partnership. At times, the challenges may seem daunting – we recently met a seemingly impossible 12-day close deadline – but the rapport generated by a quarter of a century together makes it run. The net result is that our client trusts us through it all. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.  To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page.  ### Audit Case Study - Compliance Crisis to Clean Slate: Preparing a 401K plan for Clean Audit How it Started Quick Thinking on a Late NoticeWhen a Controller was notified late by her third-party administrator that her company’s 401k plan required an audit that year, she knew she needed a firm that could do quality work on a compressed timeline. Luckily, because she had worked with Schneider Downs on several employee benefit plan audits at her previous company, she knew we were the ones to call. Our robust ERISA practice was more than capable of handling the quick turnaround she needed. We were ready to hustle when it became time to do their audit. Out of Left Field Navigating Risks with Corrective ActionAs soon as we started reviewing the plan document, we noticed a major problem with the plan administration: the auto-enrollment procedures listed on the plan were not being performed. An error of this magnitude was a huge risk to the client since it could bring significant costs. Navigating the potential legal and financial ramifications required a practiced hand. After identifying the problem, we quickly had our in-house retirement experts step in to help the client identify and execute corrective actions. Our team helped them understand their options, calculate lost earnings, draft responses to notices as they came up and ensure compliance with DOL guidance. Because they had undergone some corporate mergers previously, we assisted their legal team with pinpointing their precise legal liability within the acquisition documents. We served as an ongoing resource for them, providing continuing counsel throughout the entire process of right-sizing their plan and correcting the problems. How it's Going An Ongoing Role in Unraveling SolutionsWith our guidance, the client identified and executed the appropriate corrective actions for the issues, and today they have a clean plan and a smooth audit. Years later, the Controller reached out to us again: this time on behalf of a sister company having trouble with their retirement plan. Overwhelmed by calls from employees complaining about employee contributions, loan repayment and timely remittance, they didn’t know where to start. Remembering how valuable our in-house retirement expertise had been in getting her own organization’s plans back on track, the client told their sister company that she had the perfect solution. Once again, we’ve rolled up our sleeves. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.  To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page.  ### Audit Case Study - From Acquisition to Audit: Guiding a SaaS Company Through a Seamless Start How it Started Sorting Out The ComplexitiesA private equity firm acquired the Ohio-based SaaS startup and they knew it was time to prepare for an audit. As a young company that had never been audited, they needed not just an auditor, but a partner to ensure they were ready for the challenges of preparing to be audited. Finding a regional firm that provides both those services can be a challenge but, fortunately, since the company’s Controller was already familiar with Schneider Downs, she skipped a few steps in what could have been an arduous search. She set up a meeting with our Accounting Advisory and audit practices to talk about the audit and audit readiness process. We also explained how we could help sort out the complexities associated with revenue recognition and other accounting challenges we consistently see in the SaaS space. With a game plan in place, we were ready to begin our partnership. Laying the Groundwork Our Accounting Advisory team stepped in first. Since the client had limited internal resources, our first task was to help them structure their audit readiness process. We made sure everything was in order, providing guidance on the acquisition opening balance sheet, helping them understand customer contracts from a revenue recognition perspective, aiding with purchase price allocation and ensuring that their technology costs were capitalized properly. Our job was educational as well as technical. We were on the ground with them, helping management draft memos and making ourselves available to answer any questions they had. And, because our Accounting Advisory team was constantly consulting with our audit team, we were able to avoid the headaches and pitfalls of communicating with an external auditor. Before the audit even began, we knew there would be no surprises. How it's Going From Preparation to CollaborationNow that the client’s books and records are in good order, the audit team is ready to take over. And, as we gear up for their audit, our tax team has appeared on the scene as well. After collaborating with us on the audit readiness process, the CFO realized we had the expertise to help them with their tax compliance, and he asked us to expand our relationship. It’s just one of the advantages of working with a partner with capabilities in so many areas. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.  To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page.  ### Audit Case Study - From Providers to Partners: Continuously Tailored Solutions for Record-Breaking Closing Timelines How it Started Discovering a Distinctive PartnershipAfter years of working with national accounting firms, (a standard move for a global organization of their size), one of our current clients wanted to find a different approach. They didn’t just want an auditor anymore—they wanted a business partner to guide them through every step of the reporting and readiness process. A business partner who would develop a personalized and practical procedure to ensure a successful audit. Though they wanted more personal attention than the Big 4 could offer, it was also important that their provider still had the resources to understand and simplify the complex accounting requirements of international operations. That’s where we came in. A Practical Approach Creating Efficiencies through the IntricaciesFrom the beginning, we committed to co-developing a procedure that worked for the client. We know from experience that the first question international organizations have when it comes to an audit is how to cohesively and painlessly organize the disparate reporting requirements of each location. With that in mind, we sat down with them and discussed the best methods to approach each of their international sites, one by one. Rather than insisting on a reperformance of financial statements reported under IFRS accounting standards, we rolled the work already completed at several of their locations into our audit process. And, based on our experience with other companies, we provided advice on best practices at each location that would ultimately create efficiencies in our overall audit process. Throughout our relationship, we’ve viewed this client as our partner. We’ve guided them through the intricacies of new accounting pronouncements, lease arrangements, complex transactions and revenue recognition. Whenever a complex issue has come up, they’ve relied on us to provide guidance and support; they know we both have the resources to handle these issues and that, as our partners, they have access to all of them. How it's Going Setting Ambitions for SuccessOur client is ambitious. After ten years with us, they’ve seen how much an audit process can improve with careful attention. Over the years, we’ve shortened the time between their year-end and audit close to an impressive 60 days. And we’re not done yet. Their new goal for the coming years is a 45-day close. They know we’ll help them get there the way we’ve always done. Our feedback remains consistent each year with insights on ways to improve. We continue to partner with them through transactional and accounting matters to outline the most efficient and effective ways to reach their goals. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.  To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page.  ### Audit Case Study - Family-owned, nationally recognized professional services company How it Started Beyond Big 4 Territory with Expansion PlansIt was 2012, and it was our client's first foray out of Big 4 territory so they weren’t sure what to expect when we performed our first audit for their family-owned professional services company. A smooth transition led them to be ensured we would perform at the high level to which they were accustomed. Service level was important to them, with considerable pride in their excellent reputation and established brand. We knew they had ambitious growth goals and needed a partner with the capacity and expertise to grow their business. We were to be that partner. A Proud Partnership Assessing Needs and Growing TogetherAs the client grew comfortable they started transitioning work from other firms. What began as a corporate audit grew to include additional ancillary audits and other agreed-upon procedures. As the client noticed they received the same high level of service, responsiveness and timeliness from us, our relationship continued to grow. Since we began working together, the client has nearly doubled in size. And we have grown with them, expanding our service offerings with their growing needs. We have worked together on cybersecurity assessments, due diligence on acquisitions, tax work, compensation studies and family office matters. When the financial reporting and controls of acquired entities didn’t meet our client’s standards, we stepped in to bring them up to speed. As partners, we protect their brand by ensuring consistency across locations and disaggregated accounting functions. How it's Going A Decade of Closeness and ExcellenceAfter more than 10 years, we have become fully integrated into the client’s operations. Each time a major business decision looms, they consult with us on the implications from an accounting, tax and general organizational perspective. We assume the audit work for each acquisition they gain, and they know we will help to maintain a reputation they can take pride in. We, in turn, are incredibly proud to call them our clients and friends. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.  To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page.  ### Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 We're dedicated to helping you stay secure in the digital world with this year's curated Cybersecurity Awareness Month content. Elevate your digital awareness with our new series Two Truths and a Lie About Cybersecurity where we delve into common cybersecurity topics to help separate facts from fiction—test your knowledge below to see how many you get correct! Then register early for our 2025 webinar where we'll open our files from the frontlines of penetration testing. Enjoy the month and stay safe out there!   Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity   Playlist 3 Videos Two Truths and a Lie about Cyber Insurance 0:16 Two Truths and a Lie about Purple Teaming 0:16 Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity Goverance 0:16 Play Video From the Frontlines of Penetration Testing   Navigating the Path to Compromise: Common Findings from Penetration Testing Start 2025 with Schneider Downs Cybersecurity as they open their files to share critical insights, top vulnerabilities and user behavior patterns identified through their real-life penetration testing experiences from the frontline. Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025 Time: 1:00-2:00 PM ET Location: ON24 Webinar Register Webinar About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Our Thoughts On Deepfake Scams – A Growing Threat Deepfake-driven fraud remains a top concern for CISOs and security professionals, as the frequency and complexity of these scams continue… Read More > 3 Key Insights from GetApp’s 2024 C-Suite Cybersecurity Report 72% of U.S. senior executives have been targeted at least once by a cyberattack in the last 18 months according… Read More > 2.9 Billion Reasons to Be Concerned – The Latest on the National Public Data Breach The National Public Data (NPD) breach is emerging as 2024’s defining cybersecurity incident, but what sets this breach apart? After… Read More > Data For Sale – The Latest on the City of Columbus, Ohio Ransomware Attack The recent ransomware attack on Columbus, OH now has an alleged perpetrator. International ransomware gang Rhysida claimed responsibility for the… Read More > How Much Does a Data Breach Cost in 2024? Just like everything else, the cost of a data breach continues to get more and more expensive. In fact, the… Read More > View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Manufacturing FAQ About Schneider Downs Manufacturing Services Schneider Downs understands the manufacturing industry from a regional, national and international perspective. Our experience in engineering-based cost segregation studies, state and local tax services, including nexus studies, as well as research and development tax credits, provides manufacturers the expertise needed to run their businesses more effectively. To learn more, visit our Manufacturing Industry Group page. Manufacturing Industry Resources Schneider Downs Manufacturing Industry Articles Schneider Downs Manufacturers’ Economic Surveys Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry Groups Schneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. OUR THOUGHTS ON Worker Safety for Manufacturing Groups Due to the breadth of products coming to us from manufacturing companies, the industry faces wide range of safety issues.… Read More > Downstream Effects of the CHIPS Act on Local Manufacturing in New Albany, Ohio The semiconductor industry is the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones to cars to advanced medical equipment. Recognizing… Read More > Survey on Career Advancement and Women in the Manufacturing Sector In February 2024, The Women In Manufacturing Association and Xometry collectively released the 4th Annual Survey on Career Advancement and… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Protect Your Manufacturers: 3 Common Cyber Attack Methods to Watch Out for in 2023 What were the most common cyber attack patterns in the manufacturing industry in 2023?In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we… Read More > How To Identify Supply Chain Vulnerabilities How can companies identify supply chain vulnerabilities to be better prepared for the future?Supply chains have been hit hard by… Read More > Changes to R&D Expense Rules Affecting Manufacturers The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) included a deferred “gift” to manufacturers and other taxpayers in the… Read More > United States Deals with Baby Formula Shortage Over the past few weeks, as you’ve been running errands or completing your grocery shopping, you may have noticed some… Read More > An Introduction to Industry 4.0 The fourth industrial revolution is upon us. Better known as Industry 4.0, the digitization of manufacturing, which focuses on interconnectivity,… Read More > Inflation Tracking and Cost Pass-through Analysis With inflation increasing at 40-year record highs, nearly every business is impacted with higher input costs. Along with supply chain challenges… Read More > Reshoring to Combat Global Supply Chain Disruptions While Covid-related restrictions have been largely lifted and the world is returning to a new normal, the impact of the… Read More > Superfund Excise Taxes Are Back Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Effective July 1, 2022 The reinstated Superfund Excise Tax is effective July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2031, absent extension. The latest reiteration of… Read More > EV’s are Changing the World, but Who will be Left Behind? As manufacturers transition production from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles, are they being short-sighted about supplying vehicles to many… Read More > Key Takeaways from the September ISM Manufacturing Report In early October, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released its latest Report on Business, a monthly publication that provides… Read More > Persistent Challenges Facing Manufacturing With the majority of the U.S. and the world now attempting to get back to some semblance of normalcy, we… Read More > Results and Implications of the Manufacturing Institute for Supply Management’s Report on Business for Q1 2021 On April 1, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released its latest Report on Business, a monthly publication that examines… Read More > Behind the Numbers in ISM’s Q4 Report on Business On January 5, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released its latest Report on Business, a monthly publication that examines… Read More > 2020 Schneider Downs Manufacturers’ Economic Survey Results Released Each year, Schneider Downs collects insights from leaders in the manufacturing industry through our annual Manufacturers’ Economic Survey. This year, our… Read More > Manufacturing - State of the Industry While 2020 has been challenging, the manufacturing industry continued to perform well in the third quarter of 2020. According to an… Read More > Reshoring and Manufacturers Reshoring is the practice of bringing manufacturing jobs and services back to the United States—jobs that had been previously lost… Read More > ### Audit Case Study Energy Expertise How it Started A Search for Value and Expert Guidance23 years ago, one of our current energy clients struggled to find a good high-quality audit and tax service provider that truly understood its industry. Though they had tried several different audit and tax providers over the years, they couldn’t find a firm with the industry expertise necessary to support their growing business effectively. When they were finally introduced to Schneider Downs, our experience with the nuances of energy-specific accounting and tax standards differentiated us from the previous firms. We were in it for the long haul when they engaged us all those years ago. Growing Together Preservering through Steady GrowthThough the client started as a relatively small operation, they were able to experience the tremendous growth they believed was possible. And we have been with them every step of the way, growing and adapting as their inventory expanded and their operations became increasingly complex. We’ve had the expertise and capacity to handle every industry-specific need over the years, from implementing new ARO accounting standards and depletion accounting to various tax-related services. Satisfied their needs were being met, the client settled into a steady audit and tax relationship with us for nearly a quarter of a century. As success continued and trust grew, that relationship expanded to provide solutions to other areas of operations as well. Over time, our technology services team was pulled in to implement and upgrade their ERP system, and today, Schneider Downs also consults on the client’s ERISA plans and trust and estate matters. How it's Going Full Steam Ahead - Unearthing New Goals Fueled by their incredible growth, the client sought to diversify their operations by acquiring several companies in different industries and geographies. After each acquisition, we have been their first phone call for the audit and tax work. Over the long course of extended trust, the relationship continues to grow and evolve, as Schneider Downs remains the “first call” when new solutions are needed. Reflecting over many years, the shared values and goals of both client and firm remain apparent – our client knows and values the high-touch approach we bring to the table; it mirrors the hands-on philosophy they’ve maintained with their customers throughout its period of extended growth. In the end, we were a perfect fit. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today ### Audit Case Study Transitioning Leadership How it Started Anchoring the Past while Charting a New VisionAfter years of running a business and almost a decade working with Schneider Downs, the owner of one of our clients was ready to plan for a leadership transition. Since we had been established business partners for years, the owner trusted us to handle the transition as much as he trusted his son to manage the business. And a successful succession was just the beginning. His legacy was impressive: his son stood to inherit a profitable professional service company boasting clients among the Fortune 1000. We began working with his son to explore a new organizational structure. The business had outgrown the one-person entrepreneur model that had served it so well, and a new model would better position the company for growth. Working together, we created a more formalized corporate structure, creating additional companies and an expansion-focused management team. Our client was poised for exponential growth. Through It All Delivering Tailored Solutions for the Long HaulAs the client expanded, so did our service offerings. We weren’t just there to steward them through a transition, we were in it for the long haul of their developing needs. After years of performing their audit and tax work, our knowledge of the business and its culture was unmatched. We were committed to providing the experts they needed for every obstacle and opportunity they would encounter.When we began our Credits and Incentives practice, we immediately knew which credits were most appropriate and realistic. And, when they first needed a SOC 2 report, we had the experts in-house to perform it for them. When they brought on a new CFO to help facilitate their growth, he leaned on us to provide the resources to support their operations and execute his vision. With each new acquisition, we helped with valuations and profitability calculations. Further, when they began to expand their borders internationally, we connected them to our Prime Global partners to help structure their foreign offices. Through our partnership, the client knew they had access not only to our experts but to all our connections as well. How it's Going A Lasting Partnership Founded on TrustOur relationship has continued for almost 30 years. Beyond the traditional client/firm relationship, we remain good partners and good friends. There is no “business as usual,” in our approach: we continue to be committed to evaluating how we can serve them better each year. Recently, these efforts have culminated in a forensic accounting engagement for which we were their first and only phone call. They’re our first phone call as well: they have become as much our advocate as we are theirs—they’re always ready to provide a reference and have played prominent roles in our internal programming. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to the next 30 years. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today ### Audit Case Study - Operational Efficiency How it Started Lack of Preparation & Excessive PaperworkIn 2021, Schneider Downs was contacted by a company that had missed its most recent ERISA filing date by several months, creating significant frustration with their current provider. Although Schneider Downs was not local to their area, the client reached out to us at the recommendation of their actuary. When he asked us to propose their ERISA audits, the prospect made it clear: his top priority was filing timely this year. We were determined to deliver. Charting a New Course On Board with Early Planning and Scheduling​After our initial meeting, we knew this audit required an especially proactive approach. Generally, due to the extensive third-party coordination and client onboarding tasks that come with a first-year ERISA audit, making granular predictions about specific timing can be tricky. However, to ensure the client felt confident they would file on time, we carefully outlined and committed to a detailed timeline of our audit plan in April. Staying Vigilant with Internal ReviewsTo ensure we delivered on the promised timeline, we conducted biweekly calls with the client in June, even though fieldwork didn’t start until August. When we did begin fieldwork, which we conducted remotely, we upped the cadence of our calls and communicated regularly with the client through issuance—which occurred with time to spare. How it's Going Enhanced Financial Accuracy, Strengthened Internal Controls & Operational EfficiencySince successfully completing their ERISA audits, we’ve developed a strong partnership with the client. As they continue to grow, we are here to provide complimentary and general advisory services.  Today, because we’ve demonstrated their priorities are our priorities, we’re the first to know whenever a change occurs within their organization. They know we’ll always pick up their call. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.  To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page.  ### Forensics and Litigation Services Forensics and Litigation Services Navigate the complex litigation landscape with confidence. Meet our team Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise The Schneider Downs Business Advisors consists of seasoned forensic accountants and litigation support consultants with significant experience across all industries. Our seasoned team of forensics and litigation professionals provide organizations the expertise, analysis and technology required to mitigate, address and settle investigations of all sizes. Business Interruption and Damanges Services Business Interruption and Damages Quantify Losses, Support Claims, and Navigate Recovery with… Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Providing Assistance to Help Fiduciaries Meet Their… Forensic & Investigative Accounting Forensic and Investigative Accounting Uncover Financial Misconduct, Resolve Disputes, and Strengthen Controls… Fraud Risk Assessment Fraud Risk Assessment Identify Vulnerabilities, Prioritize Risks, and Strengthen Your Anti-Fraud Strategy… Fraud Risk Assessments Fraud Risk Assessments Fraud Risk Diagnostic Evaluation Fraud Risk Diagnostics and Mitigation Services Evaluate Your Organization’s Fraud Defenses and… Fraud Risk Management Fraud Risk Management Proactively Identify, Assess, and Address Fraud Risks to Safeguard… Litigation Support Services Litigation Support Services Delivering credible analysis, expert testimony, and strategic insight for… See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections About Business Advisory Services In a business world of rapid change, organizations are challenged more than ever before to remain current, informed and insightful. The Schneider Downs Business Advisory practice helps organizations make more informed accounting, financial, legal and business decisions across every facet of their operations, from the ground floor to the C-suite. View our additional Forensics and Litigation services and capabilities Learn More Contact us Do You See Ghosts (Students)? Over the past few months, there has been a rise in concern about ghost students. Ghost students are individuals who… Read More > Employee Fraud in Construction: Understanding and Mitigating Risks Former office assistant Kami Elois Power was indicted in January with allegations of embezzling over $1.4 million between 2019 and… Read More > Tracing Commingled Assets: Separating Red and Green Beans “Bean counter” is a colloquial term sometimes used to describe an accountant focused on minor details. When it comes to… Read More > 6 Essential Safeguards to Prevent AML Violations in Your Organization What can organizations learn from the recent TD Bank anti-money laundering (AML) program settlement? TD Bank recently appointed Guidepost Solutions… Read More > How Scammers Are Using AI to Enhance Family Emergency Scams – What You Need to Know Family emergency scams are on the rise and evolving thanks to AI. Who makes phone calls nowadays anyway? Scammers, that’s… Read More > ### Audit Case Study Prototype 1 How it Started Lack of Preparation & Excessive PaperworkIn 2021, Schneider Downs was contacted by a company that had missed its most recent ERISA filing date by several months, creating significant frustration with their current provider. Although Schneider Downs was not local to their area, the client reached out to us at the recommendation of their actuary. When he asked us to propose on their ERISA audits, the prospect was very clear: his top priority was filing timely this year. We were determined to deliver. Every Step of the Way Early Planning and Scheduling​After our initial meeting, it was clear that this audit required an especially proactive approach. In general, due to the extensive third-party coordination and client onboarding tasks that come with a first-year ERISA audit, it’s tricky to make granular predictions about specific timing. However, to make sure the client felt comfortable that this year would be different than the last, we carefully outlined and committed to a detailed timeline of our audit plan in April. Internal Reviews & Clear Communication​To ensure we delivered on the promised timeline, we conducted biweekly calls with the client in June, even though fieldwork didn’t start until August. When we did begin fieldwork, which we conducted remotely, we upped the cadence of our calls and communicated regularly with the client through issuance—which occurred with time to spare. How it's Going Enhanced Financial Accuracy, Strengthened Internal Controls & Operational EfficiencySince successfully completing their ERISA audits, we’ve developed a strong partnership with the client and continue to provide several complimentary services and general advisory services as they grow.  Today, because we’ve demonstrated that their priorities are our priorities, we’re the first to know whenever a change occurs within their organization. They know we’ll always pick up their call. Contact an Audit & Tax Advisor Today ### SDinSite Features and Benefits Does your organization struggle with time and effort reporting?Many organizations are required to track employees’ time for various reasons—whether it be to process payroll, allocate costs to projects or grants or facilitate the billing process.In some cases, the collection of this information adds time and frustration to your staff’s workday. Outdated or lost spreadsheets, incorrect options selected by staff and the inability to self-report make time collection painful for all involved. Add in the rekeying or complicated and error-prone transformations in Excel to move data to other systems and you end up with a disjointed and inaccurate process.SD inSITE by SD Digital is an employee time-tracking software using a secure, web-based application to streamline reporting time and effort. By reducing administrative burdens and improving data accuracy, SD inSITE helps you achieve greater productivity and financial control.SD inSITE is a secure, online time reporting system designed to collect information from users, providing modules for time, expenses, purchase requisitions, invoice approvals and other company-related information.Key Features and Benefits:If your organization struggles with time and effort reporting, SD inSITE can streamline the process, present appropriate options to your staff using terms they understand and provide insight into effort for staff, supervisors, budget managers, accounting departments and management.Ease of Use - Employees can report their time from any Internet-connected computer by using a form tailored to your organization’s needs, with terminology your organization understands. Time can be captured based on start/stop times or by users simply entering elapsed time by day to the level of detail necessary. To help eliminate mistakes from information overload and reduce inconsistencies, options can be presented to users based on their job, department or group they are a part of. Using the optional submit process in SD inSITE, employees can both electronically attest to the time entered and notify their supervisor when it’s ready for review.Integrated Time Off Management - SD inSITE can also help modernize organizations that have a time off request and approval process. SD inSITE’s Time Request module provides users up-to-date balances for available types of leave and allows for electronic time off requests. This process can also facilitate future requests, making sure enough time will be accrued before the request is approved. This process includes out-of-office time requests like jury duty and bereavement and helps track FMLA use and overtime requests.Streamlined Approval and Reporting - All time requests can notify supervisors to review and approve online, allowing visibility into balances and outstanding and approved requests by other users. Approved time requests can be automatically added to an employee’s timesheet and cross referenced at the end of a pay period.Data Transformation and Integration - Once the review process has been completed, time can be sent to third party systems as needed. SD inSITE can transform data to meet business needs while maintaining original data entry details. Transformations can be as simple as summarizing data by employee and pay code or as complicated as allocating time off across attributes entered during the time collection process. Once transformed, time can be sent through formatted files or by using available APIs.At any point during the entry/review/approval process, time can be reported on by individual users, departments, groups of users or filtered based on a variety of options depending on what details are collected.Managing time can involve more than just entry and approval.Budget Management - SD inSITE also has a budget module that allows organizations to set budgets for users as related to the data being captured during time entry. Consider the following scenario: your organization tracks time by person, by day, by project and activity. (Keep in mind, SD inSITE uses your organization’s terms—that’s an important part of the SD inSITE implementation and training). Your funding is all based on the project, and the activity tracks what is being done for the selected project. The list of projects is ever-changing and funding sources are becoming more stringent on the use of their dollars. With that in mind, budgets can be set up in SD inSITE by project, by person to limit access to the project for purpose of time entry and to limit how much time can be entered for a period by person. This allows for more detailed control of what each person enters and how much time is utilized by project overall.Enhanced Project Tracking - As users enter time, they can see their time balance as compared to their available budget for a given project. Project managers can view time across the project regardless of who entered the time, providing visibility throughout the budget period as opposed to points in time throughout the year. This visibility allows project managers to better track their projects, making sure they are on track in terms of effort spent and required objectives being met.Combining user-friendly time entry, electronic approval routing, powerful data transformations and simple to use budget tools, SD inSITE enables your organization to spend less effort managing time and more time working on things that keep the business running.PRIMARY CONTACT: Patrick B. Armknecht CPA, CITP Further ResourcesView a DemoSD inSITE OverviewView an SD inSITE Stay Informed Overview ### Schneider Downs Capital Contact Us How Can SD Capital Help? Value Advisors for the Middle Market ### QoE Reports - Lexington (KY) Quality of Earnings Reports - Lexington (KY) When it comes to buying or selling a Lexington or Kentucky business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Lexington (KY) 40507 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Lexington QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Lexington and across Kentucky.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Lexington (KY) Lexington, Kentucky's business community thrives as a blend of tradition and innovation in the heart of the Bluegrass region. Known for its historic horse industry and agricultural heritage, Lexington has evolved to include diverse sectors such as healthcare, technology, education, and professional services. The city's strategic location, surrounded by fertile farmland and anchored by the University of Kentucky, fosters an environment ripe for business growth and entrepreneurship.Networking and collaboration are fundamental to Lexington's business fabric, facilitated by organizations like Commerce Lexington and local industry associations. These entities provide platforms for professionals to connect, share knowledge, and forge partnerships that drive economic development. Moreover, Lexington's business community is committed to fostering a sense of civic pride and community engagement. Many businesses actively support local initiatives, from educational programs to environmental sustainability efforts, contributing to the city's vibrant and inclusive culture. This dedication underscores Lexington's position as a dynamic business hub where innovation meets tradition, creating opportunities for prosperity and progress.       ### QoE Reports - Detroit (MI) Quality of Earnings Reports - Detroit (MI) When it comes to buying or selling a Detroit or Michigan business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earning Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Detroit (MI) 48201 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Detroit QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Detroit and across Michigan.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Detroit (MI) Detroit's business community embodies a spirit of resilience and innovation, deeply intertwined with the city's rich industrial history and cultural legacy. Once known as the automotive capital of the world, Detroit has diversified its economic base to include sectors such as technology, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. The city's strategic location, skilled workforce, and entrepreneurial spirit continue to attract businesses looking to thrive in a dynamic urban environment.Networking and collaboration are fundamental to Detroit's business landscape, supported by organizations like the Detroit Regional Chamber and local business associations. These entities foster connections among entrepreneurs, startups, and established corporations, promoting knowledge-sharing and strategic partnerships. Moreover, Detroit's business community is actively engaged in initiatives aimed at revitalizing neighborhoods, promoting economic equity, and supporting local talent development. This commitment to community and economic growth underscores Detroit's transformation into a modern, inclusive business hub that honors its past while embracing a promising future. ### QoE Reports - Newark (NJ) Quality of Earnings Reports - Newark (NJ) When it comes to buying or selling a Newark or New Jersey business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Newark (NJ) 07105 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Newark QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Newark and across New Jersey.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of  Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Newark (NJ) Newark, New Jersey's business community is a dynamic and integral part of the city's identity and economic landscape. Located just west of New York City, Newark has historically been a hub for transportation and commerce, with industries ranging from finance and healthcare to education and technology. The city's strategic location and robust infrastructure continue to attract businesses of all sizes, contributing to its economic resilience and growth.Networking and collaboration are key drivers within Newark's business ecosystem. Local organizations, such as the Newark Regional Business Partnership and the New Jersey Institute of Technology Enterprise Development Center, play vital roles in fostering connections and supporting entrepreneurial endeavors. These initiatives not only promote innovation but also strengthen the bonds between businesses and the community. Additionally, Newark's business community is committed to social responsibility and community engagement. Many companies actively participate in initiatives aimed at improving education, supporting local nonprofits, and promoting sustainable practices, reflecting their dedication to contributing positively to Newark's overall development and well-being. ### QoE Reports - Charleston (WV) Quality of Earnings - Charleston (WV) When it comes to buying or selling a Charleston or West Virginia business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earning Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Charleston (WV) - 25301 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Charleston QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Las Vegas and across Nevada. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of  Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Charleston (WV) Charleston, West Virginia's business community thrives amidst a backdrop of scenic beauty and a rich cultural heritage. Situated along the banks of the Kanawha River, Charleston serves as the state's capital and a hub of commerce and industry. Historically rooted in sectors like energy, manufacturing, and healthcare, the city's economy has diversified to include technology, tourism, and professional services. This diversity fosters a dynamic environment where businesses of all sizes can innovate and grow.Networking and collaboration are integral to Charleston's business fabric, facilitated by local chambers of commerce, industry associations, and business incubators. These organizations provide platforms for professionals to connect, exchange ideas, and forge strategic partnerships. Moreover, Charleston's business community is committed to fostering a sense of civic pride and social responsibility. Many businesses actively participate in community initiatives, supporting local charities, and contributing to the city's cultural and economic vitality. This dedication to both economic growth and community well-being underscores Charleston's resilience and position as a vibrant business center in West Virginia.       ### QoE Reports - Jackson (MS) Quality of Earnings Reports - Jackson (MS) When it comes to buying or selling a Jackson or Mississippi business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Jackson QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Jackson and across Mississippi. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Jackson (MS) Jackson, Mississippi's business community embodies resilience and adaptability amidst a backdrop of rich cultural heritage and Southern hospitality. From its historic downtown to burgeoning commercial districts, such as Fondren and Flowood, a diverse range of industries thrives. Agriculture and manufacturing have historically been significant, complemented now by a growing presence in healthcare, education, and technology sectors. This blend of traditional strengths and emerging opportunities creates a fertile ground for entrepreneurship and economic growth. Networking and collaboration are fundamental to Jackson's business landscape, fostering connections and innovation. Local organizations and chambers of commerce play a pivotal role in bringing together professionals from various sectors, facilitating knowledge-sharing and strategic partnerships. Additionally, businesses in Jackson are committed to community engagement and social responsibility, actively contributing to initiatives that enhance quality of life and support local causes. This shared commitment to the city's development underscores Jackson's vibrant business community, shaping its future as a resilient and inclusive economic hub in the South. ### QoE Reports - New Orleans (LA) Quality of Earnings Reports - New Orleans (LA) When it comes to buying or selling a New Orleans or Louisana business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our New Orleans QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in New Orleans and across Louisiana. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About New Orleans (LA) The business community in New Orleans is as vibrant and eclectic as the city itself, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and entrepreneurial spirit. From its historic French Quarter to emerging districts like the Warehouse District and Central Business District, a diverse array of industries thrives. Hospitality and tourism remain cornerstone sectors, bolstered by a growing presence in technology, healthcare, and creative industries. This blend of tradition and innovation creates a dynamic environment where businesses of all sizes flourish. Networking and collaboration are integral to the fabric of the New Orleans business community. Local entrepreneurs benefit from a supportive network that fosters creativity and encourages partnerships. Events such as industry conferences, networking mixers, and cultural festivals serve as catalysts for forging connections and sharing insights. Moreover, businesses in New Orleans prioritize community engagement, participating actively in initiatives that support local causes, promote cultural preservation, and drive economic development. This commitment to social responsibility underscores the community's resilience and contributes to its enduring charm and appeal as a business destination.    ### QoE Reports - Little Rock (AR) Quality of Earnings Reports - Little Rock (AR) When it comes to buying or selling a Little Rock or Arkansas business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Little Rock (AR) - 72201 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Little Rock QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Little Rock and across Arkansas.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Little Rock (AR) The business community in Little Rock, Arkansas, stands as a testament to the city's entrepreneurial spirit and economic resilience. Anchored by a diverse array of industries including healthcare, technology, retail, and hospitality, local businesses play a pivotal role in driving both employment and economic growth. From small startups to established corporations, entrepreneurs find a supportive environment that fosters innovation and creativity. Networking events and business associations provide invaluable opportunities for professionals to connect, collaborate, and share insights, further enhancing the community's cohesive fabric. Beyond economic contributions, businesses in Little Rock actively engage in civic initiatives and social responsibility efforts. Many companies prioritize giving back to the community through charitable donations, volunteer programs, and partnerships with local nonprofits. This commitment to corporate citizenship strengthens the bond between businesses and residents, fostering a sense of shared responsibility for the city's well-being. As Little Rock continues to evolve, its business community remains integral to shaping its future trajectory, ensuring sustainable development and a high quality of life for all who call it home.    ### QoE Reports - Providence (RI) Quality of Earnings Reports - Providence (RI) When it comes to buying or selling a Providence or Rhode Island business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Providence RI 02902 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Providence QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Providence and across Rhode Island.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Providence (RI) The business community in Providence, Rhode Island, reflects a city that blends historic charm with modern innovation. Known as the "Creative Capital," Providence has evolved from its industrial roots into a diverse economy driven by sectors such as education, healthcare, technology, and creative industries.The city's economy is bolstered by institutions like Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), which not only contribute to education but also fuel research, development, and entrepreneurial endeavors. These institutions serve as anchors for knowledge-based industries and attract talent from around the world. ### QoE Reports - Los Angeles (CA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Los Angeles (CA) When it comes to buying or selling a Los Angeles or California Business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Los Angeles (CA) 90002 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Los Angeles QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Los Angeles and across California. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Los Angeles (CA) The business community in Los Angeles, California, is diverse and driven by entertainment, technology, international trade, and tourism. As a global hub for film and media, it is home to major studios and production companies, while Silicon Beach fosters innovation with numerous tech startups. The Port of Los Angeles, one of the world’s busiest, anchors international trade and logistics. Additionally, the city benefits from a thriving tourism industry, boosted by its cultural attractions and hospitality sector, along with a robust creative economy supported by fashion and design. ### QoE Reports - Columbus (OH) Quality of Earnings - Columbus (OH) When it comes to buying or selling a Columbus or Ohio business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earning Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Columbus (OH) 43215 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Columbus QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Columbus and across Ohio. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Columbus (OH) The business community in Columbus, Ohio, is characterized by a blend of innovation, collaboration, and a strong sense of community. Nestled in the heart of Ohio, Columbus has emerged as a dynamic hub for business and entrepreneurship, propelled by a diverse range of industries including finance, insurance, healthcare, retail, and technology.Home to major corporations such as Nationwide Insurance, L Brands, and Cardinal Health, Columbus boasts a robust corporate presence that drives economic growth and job creation. These companies not only contribute significantly to the local economy but also actively engage in community initiatives and philanthropy, enhancing the quality of life for residents. ### QoE Reports - New York City (NY) Quality of Earnings - New York (NY) When it comes to buying or selling a New York City or New York Business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our New York City QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in New York City and across New York. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About New York City (NY) The business community of New York City is a vibrant tapestry woven from countless threads of industry and ambition. It spans finance, technology, media, fashion, and beyond, reflecting the city's role as a global nexus of innovation and entrepreneurship. Here, towering skyscrapers house the headquarters of multinational corporations alongside the offices of startups fueled by ambition and innovation. Amid the hustle and bustle of Manhattan's streets, business deals are brokered over coffee in bustling cafes and in boardrooms high above the city skyline. The city's economy pulses with the energy of competition and collaboration, as businesses vie for market share in a city that never sleeps. ### Schneider Downs Capital Team Schneider Downs Capital Team Value Advisors for the Middle Market Meet Our Team Peter Lieberman Managing Partner Learn More > Tom Springer Managing Partner Learn More > Stuart P. Lawson Managing Director - CPA, CEPA, CM&AA Learn More > Imran Mohiuddin Managing Director Learn More > Walter Gilligan Senior Director - MBA Learn More > Alyssa Fudala Director Learn More > Erika Keough Director - MBA, SHRM-SCP Learn More > Christine Marshall Director - CEPA Learn More > Wayne Pigott Director - CMAA Learn More > Matthew Kotkiewicz Associate Learn More > Rebecka Talley Senior Associate - CEPA, CM&AA Learn More > Thomas Merante Analyst Learn More > ### SD Capital Transactions Mergers & Acquisitions Schneider Downs Capital Transactions Mergers & Acquisitions All Mergers & Acquisitions Consumer/HealthcareEnergy & Utility ServicesManufacturing & Industrial Services Advised Donegal Construction Corp. and Delta Contracting, Inc. on their sale to SurfaceCycle, a portfolio company of Warren Equity Partners Advised Armstrong Nutrition Management, LLC on its sale to DiningRD, a portfolio company of Evolution Capital Partners Advised CWM Environmental, LLC (CWM) on its sale to Metiri Group, Inc. Advised Producers Supply Company, Inc. on its sale to BPS Supply Group, a portfolio company of Trive Capital Advised Sam Levin, Inc. on its sale to Art Van Furniture, an affiliate of Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. UV Technologies, a division of Calgon Carbon Corporation, has been acquired by De Nora Holdings US, Inc. The assets of Kanata Blanket Company and Neet Feet have been acquired by an undisclosed buyer Advised Westmoreland Advanced Materials, Inc. on its sale of certain assets to Allied Mineral Products, LLC Advised Klein’s Restoration Services on its sale to Yak Access, LLC, an affiliate of Platinum Equity Advised Keystone Consultants, Inc. on its sale to Contract Land Staff, LLC, an affiliate of Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Advised Well Service Group, Inc. and Utility Access Solutions, Inc. on their sales to Newpark Resources Inc. Advised Weavertown Transport Leasing, Inc. and Weaver Town Oil Services, Inc., operating as Weavertown Environmental Group, on their sale to Univar USA Inc. Advised Conveyor Services Corporation, Classic Conveyor Components Corporation and Affiliates on its sale to Fenner, PLC Advised Troy D. Dolan on his equity investment in Diamond Technical Services, Inc. Advised S/D Engineers, Inc. on its sale to Siemens Power Generation, Inc. Advised L.R. Kimball & Associates, Inc. on its sale to CDI Corp. Advised DMLogic, LLC on its sale of a majority ownership interest to Körber AG Advised NILCO Corporation on its acquisition by Platinum Equity Advised TIGG Corporation on its sale to The Spencer Turbine Company, a portfolio company of Alliance Holdings, Inc. Advised Powerohm Resistors, Inc. on its sale to Hubbell Industrial Controls, Inc., a business unit of Hubbell Incorporated Advised Snap-tite, Inc. on its sale to Parker Hannifin Corporation Advised Union Spring & Manufacturing Corp. on the sale of its Pontotoc Spring division to MW Industries, Inc., a portfolio company of Genstar Capital Advised Print Tech of Western Pennsylvania on its sale of assets to Center Capital, LLC Advised Heartland Petroleum, LLC on its recapitalization by Warren Distribution Advised Snap-tite Hose, Inc., a business unit of Snap-tite, Inc., on its sale to All-American Hose, LLC Advised Marion Steel on its sale to Nucor Advised James Austin Company on its sale to KIK Custom Products, an affiliate of Centerbridge Partners, L.P. Advised Choice Respiratory Care, Inc. on its sale to a national respiratory care provider Advised Eat’n Park Hospitality Group on the sale of its Cura Hospitality division to TrustHouse Services Group Advised AAA Allied Group on its acquisition of Bob Sumerel Tire Co. Inc.’s retail business Advised ABARTA, Inc. on its acquisition of Kahiki Foods, Inc. Advised West Mifflin Imaging Associates, LP on its sale to Jefferson Regional Medical Center OUR THOUGHTS ON Dealing with the CDK Cyberattack Fallout Before June 18, 2024, no one would have imagined that cyber criminals could compromise an industry leader like CDK and… Read More > New TEOS Improvements Webpage On June 21, 2024, the IRS announced enhancements to public access of Form 990 series data on the new Tax… Read More > The Value of Control Self-Assessments “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.”– Warren Buffet A risk management framework is an ongoing process of… Read More > Investment Corner with Jason & Sean: Strength in EM… Is it Sustainable? Emerging Markets (EM) sometimes can feel like the forgotten middle child within the greater equity asset class as performance over… Read More > Changes to the Student Financial Assistance Cluster in the 2024 Compliance Supplement With the release of the 2024 Compliance Supplement from the Office of Management and Budget (Supplement), there are changes to… Read More > ### WebApp Questionnaire Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. CONTACT US About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Cybersecurity Resources   Resource Library Our Thoughts On View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### QoE Reports - Milwaukee (WI) Quality of Earnings Reports - Milwaukee (WI) When it comes to buying or selling a Milwaukee or Wisconsin business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Milwaukee (WI) 53202 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Milwaukee QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Milwaukee (WI) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, boasts a diverse and resilient business community shaped by its industrial heritage, strategic location, and entrepreneurial spirit. The city's economy encompasses various sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, technology, education, and brewing.Manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of Milwaukee's economy, with the city's history deeply rooted in industries such as machinery, tools, and metal fabrication. While the manufacturing landscape has evolved over the years, Milwaukee remains home to a wide array of manufacturing companies, ranging from large corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises. The manufacturing sector continues to be a vital contributor to the local economy, providing employment opportunities and driving innovation.Healthcare is another key sector in Milwaukee, with world-class medical institutions like the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital serving as anchors for the city's healthcare industry. These institutions, along with numerous hospitals, clinics, and research centers, contribute to Milwaukee's reputation as a hub for medical innovation and excellence. ### QoE Reports - Houston (TX) Quality of Earnings Reports - Houston (TX) When it comes to buying or selling a Houston or Texas business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earning Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Houston TX 77018 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Houston QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Houston and across Texas. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of  Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Houston (TX) Houston, Texas, boasts a robust and diverse business community, characterized by its strategic location, strong energy sector, thriving healthcare industry, and growing technology and aerospace sectors.As the fourth-largest city in the United States, Houston serves as a major economic hub, particularly in the energy sector. The city is often referred to as the "Energy Capital of the World" due to its prominent role in the oil and gas industry. Houston is home to numerous energy companies, including multinational corporations, independent producers, and service providers, contributing significantly to the city's economy and employment opportunities.In addition to energy, Houston has a thriving healthcare industry, with the Texas Medical Center (TMC) serving as the largest medical complex in the world. TMC is home to renowned hospitals, research institutions, and healthcare organizations, attracting patients, medical professionals, and investment to the region. Houston's healthcare sector encompasses a wide range of specialties, including cancer treatment, cardiovascular care, and medical research. ### QoE Reports - St. Louis (MO) Quality of Earnings Reports - St. Louis (MO) When it comes to buying or selling a St. Louis or Missouri business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our St. Louis QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in St. Louis and across Missouri. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About St. Louis (MO) St. Louis, Missouri, boasts a diverse and dynamic business community that reflects its rich history and strategic location in the heart of the United States. The city is home to a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, biotechnology, finance, and logistics.Healthcare is a prominent sector in St. Louis, with renowned institutions such as Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children's Hospital, and Washington University School of Medicine anchoring the region's medical landscape. These institutions drive innovation, research, and medical care, attracting patients, professionals, and investment to the area.Manufacturing has historically been a cornerstone of St. Louis's economy, with the city's location along the Mississippi River facilitating trade and transportation. While the manufacturing sector has evolved over the years, St. Louis remains home to a diverse range of manufacturing companies, including those specializing in aerospace, automotive, chemicals, and consumer goods. ### QoE Reports - Wichita (KS) Quality of Earnings Reports - Wichita (KS) When it comes to buying or selling a Wichita or Kansas business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Wichita QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Wichita and across Kansas. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Wichita (KS) Wichita, Kansas, is home to a diverse and resilient business community that spans various industries, with aviation, manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture playing prominent roles in the local economy. Historically known as the "Air Capital of the World," Wichita has a strong aviation industry presence, with major aerospace companies like Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation headquartered in the city. This legacy has fostered a robust ecosystem of aviation-related businesses, including suppliers, manufacturers, and maintenance facilities, contributing significantly to Wichita's economy and employment landscape.Manufacturing is another cornerstone of Wichita's business community, encompassing a range of sectors such as machinery, equipment, and advanced manufacturing. The city's central location, skilled workforce, and favorable business climate have attracted manufacturing companies seeking operational efficiency and access to key markets.In addition to aviation and manufacturing, healthcare is a vital sector in Wichita, with several hospitals, medical centers, and healthcare providers serving the region. Wichita is home to the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and the Kansas Heart Hospital, among others, contributing to the city's reputation as a healthcare hub in the state. ### QoE Reports - Tampa (FL) Quality of Earnings Reports - Tampa (FL) When it comes to buying or selling a Tampa or Florida business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Tampa QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Tampa and across Florida. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of  Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Tampa (FL) Tampa, Florida, hosts a diverse and thriving business community characterized by several key sectors driving economic growth and innovation. One of the primary pillars of Tampa's economy is its robust healthcare industry. With world-renowned medical institutions such as Tampa General Hospital and Moffitt Cancer Center, the region has become a hub for healthcare services, research, and innovation. This sector not only provides quality healthcare to residents but also attracts medical professionals and researchers from around the globe.Tampa's proximity to major shipping routes and its strategic location on the Gulf Coast have contributed to the development of a flourishing logistics and distribution sector. The Port of Tampa Bay, one of the largest seaports in Florida, facilitates the movement of goods and cargo, supporting industries such as manufacturing, warehousing, and transportation. This strategic advantage has made Tampa an attractive destination for businesses looking to establish distribution centers and logistics operations.Furthermore, Tampa's financial services industry continues to grow, with an increasing number of banks, investment firms, and insurance companies establishing a presence in the region. The city's strong financial infrastructure, coupled with its growing population and business-friendly environment, has positioned Tampa as a key player in the financial services sector within the state of Florida. ### QoE Reports - Orlando (FL) Quality of Earnings Reports - Orlando (FL) When it comes to buying or selling a Orlando or Florida business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Orlando FL 32801 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Orlando QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Orlando and across Florida. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Orlando (FL) Orlando, Florida, boasts a vibrant and diverse business community, fueled by a combination of tourism, technology, healthcare, and entertainment industries. Known worldwide for its theme parks and attractions, including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando, tourism is a major economic driver for the region. The hospitality sector, comprising hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues, thrives on the millions of visitors who flock to the area each year, contributing significantly to the local economy and providing employment opportunities.In addition to tourism, Orlando has emerged as a hub for technology and innovation. With a growing number of tech companies and startups establishing a presence in the area, Orlando's tech sector is on the rise. The presence of institutions like the University of Central Florida, one of the largest universities in the country, contributes to a pool of skilled talent and fosters collaboration between academia and industry.Healthcare is another thriving sector in Orlando, with world-class medical facilities and research institutions driving innovation and economic growth. The Lake Nona Medical City, a 650-acre health and life sciences park, is a prime example of Orlando's commitment to advancing healthcare through research, education, and clinical care. ### QoE Reports - Pittsburgh (PA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Pittsburgh (PA) When it comes to buying or selling a Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Pittsburgh QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Pittsburgh (PA) The Pittsburgh business community is characterized by a rich tapestry of industries and a spirit of innovation that has propelled the city into a dynamic economic hub. Historically known for its steel production, Pittsburgh has undergone a remarkable transformation, diversifying its economy and embracing sectors such as technology, healthcare, education, and finance.The city's emergence as a leader in technology and robotics has earned it the nickname "Roboburgh." Home to renowned universities such as Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh benefits from a highly skilled workforce and a culture of collaboration between academia and industry. This synergy has fostered the growth of numerous tech startups, as well as the establishment of research and development centers by major corporations.Moreover, Pittsburgh boasts a thriving healthcare sector, anchored by world-class medical institutions like UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). The city's healthcare industry not only provides essential services to residents but also serves as a driver of innovation and a magnet for healthcare-related businesses and investment. ### QoE Reports - Seattle (WA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Seattle (WA) When it comes to buying or selling a Seattle or Washington business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Seattle QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Seattle and across Washington. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Seattle (WA) Seattle, Washington, is renowned for its dynamic and diverse business community, characterized by innovation, entrepreneurship, and a strong presence of established corporations. As the home to tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing, Seattle has long been associated with innovation and technology.The city's thriving tech industry has attracted talent from around the world, fostering a culture of creativity and collaboration. Startups and tech companies continue to emerge, drawn by the city's robust infrastructure, access to capital, and vibrant startup ecosystem. This has led to the development of technology clusters in areas like South Lake Union and Pioneer Square, further fueling innovation and economic growth.Beyond technology, Seattle is also home to a thriving retail sector, with companies like Starbucks, Nordstrom, and Costco headquartered in the region. The city's bustling retail scene, anchored by iconic brands and innovative startups, contributes significantly to its economy and cultural identity. ### QoE Reports - Charleston (SC) Quality of Earnings - Charleston (SC) When it comes to buying or selling a Charleston or South Carolina business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Charleston (SC) - 29401 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Charleston QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Charleston and across South Carolina. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Charleston (SC) Charleston, South Carolina, boasts a vibrant and diverse business community characterized by a blend of traditional industries and emerging sectors. As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Charleston has a rich history that is reflected in its economic landscape. The city's economy has traditionally been driven by sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, shipping, and defense, all of which continue to play significant roles in the local business community.The tourism industry is a major contributor to Charleston's economy, attracting millions of visitors each year to its historic sites, beautiful beaches, and renowned culinary scene. The hospitality sector, including hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues, thrives on this influx of tourists, providing employment opportunities and driving economic growth.In addition to tourism, manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of Charleston's economy. The region is home to a diverse range of manufacturing companies, producing everything from automobiles and aerospace components to textiles and consumer goods. The Port of Charleston, one of the busiest ports on the East Coast, facilitates the import and export of goods, further supporting the manufacturing sector and contributing to the city's economic vitality. ### QoE Reports - Las Vegas (NV) Quality of Earnings Reports - Las Vegas (NV) When it comes to buying or selling a Las Vegas or Nevada business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Las Vegas NV 89101 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Las Vegas QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Las Vegas and across Nevada. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Las Vegas (NV) Las Vegas boasts a vibrant and diverse business community, driven largely by its tourism, hospitality, entertainment, and gaming industries. With its reputation as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," the city attracts millions of visitors each year, creating opportunities for businesses in sectors ranging from hotels and resorts to restaurants, nightlife, and event management.Moreover, the city's convention industry is robust, hosting numerous trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions throughout the year, which further stimulates economic activity and fosters networking opportunities for businesses. Additionally, Las Vegas is emerging as a hub for technology startups and innovation, with companies drawn to the city's favorable business environment, including tax incentives and a growing talent pool.The business landscape is also supported by a range of professional services, including legal, financial, and consulting firms, which cater to the diverse needs of businesses operating in the region. Furthermore, the city's strategic location in the southwestern United States positions it as a gateway for trade and commerce, particularly with markets in the Asia-Pacific region. ### Value Advisory [Content is password protected] ### Schneider Downs Capital Value Advisors for the Middle Market A premier, full-service, value growth and investment banking practice serving middle market companies. PRIMARY CONTACTS: Peter J. Lieberman, Tom SpringerForged from the combined experience of former owners and operators, seasoned investment bankers and senior executives, the SD Capital team provides a unique perspective on value creation and company sales. We are trusted advisors who assist business owners in creating and maximizing business value through strategic evaluation and execution of multiple pathways for downstream sales and monetization.With decades of collective experience and 100+ transactions, we are uniquely positioned to help owners navigate the complex journey of selling their company. We understand this is a life-changing event and are committed to providing guidance tailored to your goals.Value AdvisoryWe have extensive experience collaborating with companies as strategic and operating partners to develop and execute inorganic growth by identifying and addressing business challenges to unlock significant value before initiating a sale process. Leveraging top-tier investment banking capabilities, we implement powerful strategies to enhance value pre-transaction.Investment BankingFor owners who are ready to pursue a transaction immediately, we offer a comprehensive range of investment banking resources and expertise. This includes a best-in-class process and various sell-side options, such as control sales, recapitalizations, buy-outs, carve-outs, and ESOPs.If you want to discuss what’s next for your company, please get in touch with us at contact@sdcapital.com. The Value Advisory ProcessUsing our three-phase approach, our clients routinely create maximum value and achieve exit multiples well beyond industry norms. Baseline Readiness Assessment Our baseline readiness assessment is performed through the lens of a buyer, identifying those areas most likely to result in discounting and a reduction of purchase price in a transaction. It also consists of identifying upside opportunities for value enhancement, such as repositioning a product or service offering as a recurring versus project-based revenue stream.Utilizing workshops, interviews, and data analysis, we identify opportunities for enhancing company value. Our team comprises subject matter experts across multiple disciplines including estate and wealth management, tax , etc., to comprehensively assess all potential impacts on a potential future event. Value Advisory Each of the value gaps or value creation opportunities identified as part of the Phase I assessment process are ranked based on impact, timing, and cost (level of effort). A targeted plan to address each gap and value creation activity is identified as are key performance indicators to track and monitor progress. Significant progress can be made in a little as 6 months, but the time frame to create measurable improvement is often 12 – 18 months. Value Realization In the value realization phase, we capitalize on the improvements identified and addressed in phases I and II, harnessing SD Capital’s collective investment banking expertise to guide business owners through a monetization or liquidity event. The intimate knowledge of our client’s business gained during the first two phases provides unparalleled insight to successfully represent and position the Company to achieve its owner’s desired outcome. Our baseline readiness assessment is performed through the lens of a buyer, identifying those areas most likely to result in discounting and a reduction of purchase price in a transaction. It also consists of identifying upside opportunities for value enhancement, such as repositioning a product or service offering as a recurring versus project-based revenue stream.Utilizing workshops, interviews, and data analysis, we identify opportunities for enhancing company value. Our team comprises subject matter experts across multiple disciplines including estate and wealth management, tax , etc., to comprehensively assess all potential impacts on a potential future event.Each of the value gaps or value creation opportunities identified as part of the Phase I assessment process are ranked based on impact, timing, and cost (level of effort). A targeted plan to address each gap and value creation activity is identified as are key performance indicators to track and monitor progress. Significant progress can be made in a little as 6 months, but the time frame to create measurable improvement is often 12 – 18 months.In the value realization phase, we capitalize on the improvements identified and addressed in phases I and II, harnessing SD Capital's collective investment banking expertise to guide business owners through a monetization or liquidity event. The intimate knowledge of our client’s business gained during the first two phases provides unparalleled insight to successfully represent and position the Company to achieve its owner’s desired outcome. Investment Banking We provide comprehensive sale advisory services, ensuring sellers achieve maximum value through an approach that efficiently connects them with a diverse pool of domestic and global buyers or investors, maximizes focus on business operations and minimizes deal-related distractions.While price is crucial for sellers, the form of consideration, deal structure, and buyer compatibility are equally important factors in securing the right deal. We place special emphasis on a detailed analysis of the potential buyer/investor pool, which may allow for a more targeted and abbreviated auction process, if appropriate, but also identifies a comprehensive set to maximize reach and options for a seller. We play a pivotal role in driving the process toward an optimal outcome by offering the following services: Leadership and management of the transaction process. Primary contact and interaction with buyers and investors. Real-time market intelligence and comprehensive valuation guidance. Facilitation of buyer and investor due diligence. Identification of a comprehensive pool of potential buyers and/or investors. Strategic advisory to develop a unique sale proposition, positioning the client for future growth. Structuring and negotiation of transaction terms. Sales, Divestitures, Leveraged Buyouts and Recapitalizations We play a critical leadership role in sales process, providing comprehensive sale advisory services that generate maximum value for sellers. We combine a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses and industries with a rigorous and disciplined process to execute efficiently and allow our clients to stay focused on running their businesses. We are experts in navigating the unique needs of mid-market companies, recognizing that a sale for many owners is not just a financial transaction, but a life event that impacts management, employees and family.While price is crucial, the form of consideration, deal structure, and buyer compatibility are equally important factors in securing the right deal. We place special emphasis on a detailed analysis of the potential buyer/investor pool, which may allow for a more targeted and abbreviated auction process, if appropriate, but also identifies a comprehensive set to maximize reach and options for a seller. Acquisition Advisory Our team has extensive experience and success assisting clients in their pursuit of specific acquisition targets and in tailoring acquisition programs. We partner with you to develop criteria, identify and contact candidates, coordinate diligence and structure deal terms. We play a critical leadership role in sales process, providing comprehensive sale advisory services that generate maximum value for sellers. We combine a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses and industries with a rigorous and disciplined process to execute efficiently and allow our clients to stay focused on running their businesses. We are experts in navigating the unique needs of mid-market companies, recognizing that a sale for many owners is not just a financial transaction, but a life event that impacts management, employees and family.While price is crucial, the form of consideration, deal structure, and buyer compatibility are equally important factors in securing the right deal. We place special emphasis on a detailed analysis of the potential buyer/investor pool, which may allow for a more targeted and abbreviated auction process, if appropriate, but also identifies a comprehensive set to maximize reach and options for a seller.Our team has extensive experience and success assisting clients in their pursuit of specific acquisition targets and in tailoring acquisition programs. We partner with you to develop criteria, identify and contact candidates, coordinate diligence and structure deal terms.Who We AreOwner-operators with successful exits.Consultants and Executives to the private equity community.Corporate C-suite, M&A and growth roles in acquisitive Fortune 100 companies.Experts in commercial, GovCon and international business models.Value creation experts that achieve upside exit multiples.Investment banking professionals with expertise in a range of complex assignments.Leaders across the full M&A continuum as buyers and sellers with 100’s of transactions.Specialists in debt restructuring, turn-around, and special situations.Why SD Capital?Transaction and Hands-On Operating ExpertiseBenefit from our firsthand experience as former owners who have built and sold companies and as transaction professionals who have dedicated our careers to advising owners of firms in transition.Executive Insights and Industry ExpertiseTap into executive insights from our tenure as former C-Suite executives in Private Equity Portfolio Companies and transactions advisors across countless industries.Integrated Practice with a Deep Specialty KnowledgeAccess a deep talent pool of tax, wealth management, accounting, due diligence and valuation professionals through our relationship with Schneider Downs.Best-in-Class Transaction ExecutionWith extensive experience in mid-market M&A and corporate finance, our team prioritizes seamless communication, relentless effort, and technical expertise to ensure optimal outcomes for our clients and closely held businesses.Industry Experience Energy & Utility Services Manufacturing & Industrial Services GovCon & Defense Consumer & Healthcare IT & Technology Retail & Wholesale Distribution SD Capital Resources SD Capital Overview Thought Leadership Whitepapers About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA.Schneider Downs Capital LLC is a subsidiary of Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. ### QoE Reports - Portland (OR) Quality of Earnings Reports - Portland (OR) When it comes to buying or selling a Portland or Oregon business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Portland QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Portland and across Oregon. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Portland (OR) The Portland, Oregon business community is characterized by its emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and a strong sense of localism. Known for its green initiatives and eco-friendly practices, Portland has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable business, with many companies prioritizing environmental stewardship. The city's economy is diverse, with significant contributions from technology, manufacturing, and the creative industries. Tech companies, including Intel and various startups, form a crucial part of the economic landscape, benefiting from the region's skilled workforce and collaborative environment. Portland's business culture is also marked by a commitment to local and independent enterprises. This is evident in the thriving food and beverage industry, where local breweries, coffee roasters, and farm-to-table restaurants flourish. The city's strong support for small businesses and artisans fosters a unique and vibrant marketplace that attracts both residents and tourists. ### QoE Reports - Minneapolis (MN) Quality of Earnings Report - Minneapolis (MN) When it comes to buying or selling a Minneapolis or Minnesota business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Minneapolis (MN) 55402 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Minneapolis QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Minneapolis and across Minnesota. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Minneapolis (MN) The Minneapolis business community has evolved into a diverse and dynamic ecosystem, reflecting the city's rich history and progressive outlook. Minneapolis, known for its innovative spirit, is home to a blend of established corporations and burgeoning startups. Major sectors such as finance, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing play a pivotal role in the local economy, with companies like Target, Best Buy, and General Mills headquartered in the area. The city's commitment to sustainability and social responsibility has fostered a culture of corporate citizenship, with businesses often leading initiatives in environmental stewardship and community engagement. The entrepreneurial scene in Minneapolis is vibrant, supported by a robust network of incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces. This environment nurtures innovation and attracts a diverse talent pool, further enhancing the city's reputation as a hub for creativity and business growth. Educational institutions like the University of Minnesota contribute significantly by providing a steady stream of skilled graduates and engaging in research collaborations with local industries. ### QoE Reports - Indianapolis (IN) Quality of Earnings Reports - Indianapolis (IN) When it comes to buying or selling an Indianapolis or Indiana business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earning Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Indianapolis (IN) 46202 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Indianapolis QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Indianapolis and across Indiana. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Indianapolis (IN) The Indianapolis business community is a thriving and diverse economic hub that has experienced significant growth and development. Known for its strategic location in the heart of the Midwest, Indianapolis serves as a central nexus for various industries including manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, technology, and sports. The city's robust infrastructure, combined with a business-friendly environment, makes it an attractive destination for companies and entrepreneurs.Manufacturing is a cornerstone of Indianapolis's economy, with a strong presence of automotive, aerospace, and pharmaceutical companies. This sector benefits from the city's extensive transportation network, which facilitates efficient distribution and logistics operations. Healthcare is another major driver of the local economy, with world-class hospitals, research institutions, and biotech firms contributing to Indianapolis's reputation as a healthcare leader. ### QoE Reports - Des Moines (IA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Des Moines (IA) When it comes to buying or selling a Des Moines or Iowa business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earning Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Des Moines QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Des Moines and across Iowa. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Des Moines (IA) The Des Moines business community is a vibrant and steadily growing hub that plays a crucial role in the economic vitality of the Midwest. Known for its welcoming atmosphere and supportive business environment, Des Moines has become a center for a variety of industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, and agribusiness. The city’s strategic location, combined with a strong educational infrastructure and high quality of life, attracts businesses and professionals alike. The finance and insurance sectors are particularly prominent in Des Moines, with the city being home to numerous major insurance companies and financial institutions. This strong financial presence has earned Des Moines a reputation as a significant player in the insurance industry on both a national and international level. Healthcare is another key component of the local economy, with top-tier hospitals, research institutions, and healthcare providers contributing to both economic growth and community well-being. ### QoE Reports - Richmond (VA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Richmond (VA) When it comes to buying or selling a Richmond or Virginia business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Richmond (VA) 23220 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Richmond QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Richmond and across Virginia. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Richmond (VA) The Richmond business community is a dynamic and integral part of the region's economic landscape, characterized by a rich history and a growing diversity of industries. Known for its strategic location and vibrant culture, Richmond has attracted businesses ranging from finance and law to healthcare and manufacturing. The city’s historic charm, combined with modern amenities, creates a favorable environment for both established companies and new ventures.Richmond’s finance sector is particularly influential, with numerous banks, investment firms, and insurance companies headquartered in the area. This financial hub is complemented by a strong legal sector, with many prominent law firms and government agencies providing stability and growth opportunities.The healthcare industry is another pillar of Richmond’s economy, featuring leading hospitals, research institutions, and healthcare providers that offer high-quality services and drive economic development. Additionally, Richmond’s manufacturing sector remains robust, with a variety of companies producing goods ranging from chemicals to consumer products. ### QoE Reports - Denver (CO) Quality of Earnings Reports - Denver (CO) When it comes to buying or selling a Denver or Colorado business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earning Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Denver (CO) 80202 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Denver QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Denver and across Colorado. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Denver (CO) The Denver business community is a dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape, marked by a robust and diverse economy. Known for its entrepreneurial energy, Denver has become a magnet for various industries including technology, aerospace, energy, healthcare, and finance. The city's strategic location in the Rocky Mountain region, combined with a high quality of life and a supportive business environment, has attracted a wide range of businesses and professionals. The technology sector in Denver is thriving, with numerous tech startups and established companies choosing to set up operations in the area. This growth is bolstered by a strong talent pool, thanks to the presence of prestigious universities and a culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Additionally, Denver is a significant player in the aerospace industry, home to major aerospace companies and research institutions that contribute to both the local economy and national defense. ### QoE Reports - Phoenix (AZ) Quality of Earnings Reports - Phoenix (AZ) When it comes to buying or selling a Phoenix or Atlanta business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Phoenix AZ 85004 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyWhen it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include:Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Phoenix QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Phoenix and across Arizona. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Phoenix (AZ) The Phoenix business community is a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem that has seen significant growth and transformation over the past few decades. Known for its entrepreneurial spirit, Phoenix has become a hub for various industries including technology, healthcare, real estate, and manufacturing. The city's strategic location, favorable business climate, and robust infrastructure have attracted a diverse array of businesses, from startups to established corporations.The tech sector in Phoenix is particularly noteworthy, with an increasing number of tech companies and startups establishing their presence in the area. This growth is supported by the availability of a skilled workforce, thanks to the presence of major universities and colleges in the region. The healthcare industry is also a major player, with several leading healthcare providers and research institutions contributing to the local economy and providing high-quality services to the community. ### SOC 2 REPORTS– NEW YORK CITY (NY) SOC 2 REPORTS– NEW YORK CITY (NY) New York City and New York business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. New York SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in New York and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – New York City (NY) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz Contact Our New York SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in New York City and across New York. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### Microsoft Dynamics Legacy Users Microsoft Dynamics Legacy Users Implement, Integrate, and Optimize Dynamics 365 Business Central. Dynamics NAV, GP and SL are now Dynamics 365 Business Central. With the confirmed end of lifecycle and extended support dates for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, GP, and SL, it's time for organizations to plan their migration to Dynamics 365 Business Central.Migrating from a seemingly functional ERP system may seem daunting, but Microsoft is no longer investing in these older platforms, so why should you?Without the latest updates, AI, or automation capabilities, the security and value of these platforms diminishes, directly impacting your data, people and revenue – the very resources ERP platforms are meant to conserve.How Can SD Digital Help?As a Microsoft partner, our team has the technical, business, and industry expertise required to help you assess, integrate and transition to Dynamics Business Central 365.Whether you are just getting started, need implementation assistance or prefer fully outsourced managed services, the SD Digital team de-risks the complexity and reduces the cost of migrations.Discover the benefits of switching to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.Contact Mike P. Scalamogna or book a time on his calendar. From initial advice to complex migrations, he’s here to help!The Value of Migrating to Dynamics 365 Business CentralUpgrading to Dynamics 365 Business Central yields many benefits. A recent Forrester study shared the cost savings and business impact of migrating, which included:$44K savings in third-party reporting spend over 3 years< 1-year payback10% operations productivity increase162% ROI over 3 years8% average in improved flow of operationsAvoidance of one full-time equivalent and one part-time equivalent finance and operations hiresWhy Choose SD Digital as Your Dynamics 365 Business Central Partner?Business Expertise – As a part of a robust professional services firm, our team has access to a diverse bench of professionals who offers a broad spectrum of expertise—including cybersecurity, internal audit, data analytics, audit and assurance, and tax services—to enhance your implementation.Commitment to Success – We emphasize long-term client success, ensuring thorough documentation and clear instructions for your team's independent operation post-engagement.Dynamic Knowledge – For more than 15 years, SD Digital has been a trusted partner for organizations of all sizes in all industries for Microsoft Dynamics GP, NAV, SL and Business Central.Peace of Mind – With a comprehensive managed services option, your organization has the peace of mind knowing your migration is in expert hands from start to finish.Trusted Digital Partner – Choosing us as your partner means you get a trusted team focused on keeping your digital capabilities up to date and running smoothly, ensuring you can focus on growth while we handle the technological details.Related ResourcesSD Digital Dynamics 365 Business Central SolutionsSD Digital Dynamics 365 Business Central ResourcesSD Digital Dynamics 365 MS Business Central OverviewSD Digital Dynamics Migration OverviewWhat is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an all-in-one enterprise resource planning (ERP) business management solution that helps your business connect financials, sales, service, and operations to streamline business processes, improve customer interactions and make better decisions.About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.* Perpetual Licensing is currently available for Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises; however licensing will be shifting to subscription in October 2025. At this point, new Business Central customers will purchase the subscription licenses. Existing Perpetual customers may still purchase additional perpetual licenses. Ready to Get Started? Schedule a Demo OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### SOC 1 Certification - Providence (RI) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – PROVIDENCE, RI Providence and Rhode Island business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Providence SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Rhode Island and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 1 Examinations – ProvidenceSchneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including:SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination.SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. take a free assessment quiz About Providence (RI)Providence is the capital and largest city of the state of Rhode Island, located in the northeastern region of the United States. It is known for its historic architecture, vibrant arts and culture scene, and delicious food.Some of the most popular attractions in Providence include:WaterFire: This unique event features a series of bonfires lit on the city's rivers, accompanied by music and performances.Rhode Island School of Design Museum: This museum features a large collection of art and design from around the world, including works by famous artists like Monet and Degas.Roger Williams Park: This large park features a zoo, botanical gardens, and several museums, as well as a lake for boating and fishing.Benefit Street: This historic street features some of the oldest and most well-preserved homes in the city, including several from the 18th century.Federal Hill: This neighborhood is known for its Italian restaurants and shops, making it a popular destination for foodies.Providence is also home to a variety of festivals and events throughout the year, including the Rhode Island International Film Festival, the Providence Waterfront Festival, and the Providence Restaurant Weeks.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 1 Reports ### R&D Tax Credit New Mexico R&D Tax Credit - New Mexico Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho and across New Mexico. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. New Mexico R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in New Mexico, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho and across New Mexico for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, and many more. Contact Our New Mexico R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho and across New Mexico. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About New Mexico There’s a welcome mat in New Mexico. The doors are open to businesses, tourists and residents who want to make their home in the fifth-largest state in the country. New Mexico is known for its elaborate incentive system for businesses that settle in the state. New Mexico is currently the nation’s second-largest producer of crude oil and ninth-largest producer of natural gas, and the industry is only growing. Federal jobs are plentiful in New Mexico, many of which relate to the military. Much of the state’s plentiful federal land is dedicated to public use, with national forests, monuments and heritage sites drawing visitors in droves. New Mexico’s economy also draws from a diverse range of other sectors, including ranching, agriculture, scientific and technological research and textiles. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit New Jersey R&D Tax Credit - New Jersey Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Newark, Jersey City and across New Jersey. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. New Jersey R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in New Jersey, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Newark, Jersey City and across New Jersey for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, Washington DC, and many more. Contact Our New Jersey R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Newark, Jersey City and across New Jersey. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About New Jersey Everyone wants to call New Jersey home. The most densely populated state in the United States is prime real estate—with its per capita GDP consistently ranking as one of the country’s highest. Sandwiched between Philadelphia and New York City, the Garden State is a prime spot for the well-educated labor pool of two major cities. But while it is a global leader in fields such as life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, New Jersey’s economy draws its strength from a variety of sectors, including the financial industry, telecommunications, food processing, publishing and retail. New Jersey’s location makes it a natural magnet for shipping and tourism as well. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Wyoming R&D Tax Credit - Wyoming Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Cheyenne and across Wyoming. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Wyoming R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Wyoming, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in St. Louis and across Missouri for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. Contact Our Wyoming R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Cheynne and across Wyoming. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit West Virginia R&D Tax Credit - West Virginia Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Charleston and across West Virginia. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. West Virginia R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in West Virginia, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Charleston and across West Virginia for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. Contact Our West Virginia R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Charleston and across West Virginia. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Washington R&D Tax Credit - Washington Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Seattle and across Washington. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Washington R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Washington, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Seattle and across Washington for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. Contact Our Washington R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Seattle and across Washington. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Tennessee R&D Tax Credit - Tennessee Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Nashville and across Tennessee. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Tennessee R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Tennessee, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Nashville and across Tennessee for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. Contact Our Tennessee R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Nashville and across Tennessee. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Oregon R&D Tax Credit - Oregon Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Portland and across Oregon. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Oregon R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Oregon, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Portland and across Oregon for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. Contact Our Oregon R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Portland and across Oregon. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Oklahoma R&D Tax Credit - Oklahoma Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Tulsa and across Oklahoma. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Oklahoma R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Oklahoma, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and across Oklahoma for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. Contact Our Oklahoma R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Oklahoma City, Tulsa,  and across Oklahoma. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Online CPE coming soon Online CPE coming soon!We apologize for the inconvenience as we adjust to ensure a smooth and enjoyable process for all of our Schneider Downs family. ### R&D Tax Credit Delaware R&D Tax Credit - Delaware  Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Wilmington, Dover and across Delaware. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Delaware R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Delaware, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesgathering and documenting the related costsdetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablepreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Wilmington, Dover and across Delaware for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Delaware R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Wilmington, Dover and across Delaware. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About DelawareDelaware may be small, but its business is big. The second-smallest state in the country is home to over half of all U.S. publicly-traded companies and 63% of the Fortune 500—attracted by Delaware’s friendly corporate tax law. Residents have their pick of jobs in several sectors. Giants like Perdue Farms provide farming jobs for the state, whose agricultural exports consist mainly in poultry, soybeans, corn and dairy. There is no shortage of jobs in the financial sector either, with Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and others on the scene. Healthcare, retail, technology and pharmaceutical giants also provide jobs for Delaware’s residents.  https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCompanyThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Connecticut R&D Tax Credit - Connecticut  Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Bridgeport, Stamford and across Connecticut. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Connecticut R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Connecticut, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesgathering and documenting the related costsdetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablepreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Bridgeport, Stamford and across Connecticut for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Connecticut R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Bridgeport, Stamford and across Connecticut. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About ConnecticutConnecticut is worth the investment. The southernmost state in New England has the highest per capita income, as well as one of the most highly educated populations, in the country. Indeed, “investment” is what many have in mind when they think of the state, which hosts several of the largest hedge funds in the world. Connecticut has long been known for its relation to the financial services, insurance and real estate industries, which collectively make up the largest portion of its sizable GDP. But professional services, manufacturing, entertainment and retail also contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Even so, the highest number of Connecticut’s jobs can be found in the education, healthcare and social services industries. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Arkansas R&D Tax Credit - Arkansas Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Little Rock, Fayetteville and across Arkansas. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Arkansas R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Arkansas, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesgathering and documenting the related costsdetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablepreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Little Rock, Fayetteville and across Arkansas for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Arkansas R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Little Rock, Fayetteville and across Arkansas. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About ArkansasArkansas has diversified. Once a state with a heavy reliance on agriculture, Arkansas has evolved its economy to draw from many other sectors. Of course, with one of the nation’s highest values of agricultural products sold, the agricultural sector still contributes significantly to Arkansas’ economy, and the country can always rely on it for mainstays such as rice, turkeys, cotton and catfish. Arkansas is also home to the headquarters of retail giant Walmart, as well as four Fortune 500 companies. Tourism is another significant part of the state’s economy, with nature-lovers flocking to “The Natural State,” to enjoy its 52 state parks and famous scenery. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational ReachSchneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### SOC 1 Certification - Detroit (MI) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – DETROIT (MI) Detroit and Michigan business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Detroit SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Michigan and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 1 Examinations – Detroit Schneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including: SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination. SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. take a free assessment quiz About Detroit (MI) Detroit is known for its contributions to the automotive industry, as well as its music and art scenes. Some popular attractions in Detroit include: The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, which is a museum that features exhibits on American innovation and history, including artifacts from the automotive industry. The Detroit Institute of Arts, which is a museum that features a vast collection of art from around the world, including works by Vincent van Gogh and Diego Rivera. The Motown Museum, which is a museum that showcases the history of Motown Records and its influence on American music. The Detroit Riverwalk, which is a scenic pedestrian walkway along the Detroit River that offers views of the city skyline. The Belle Isle Park, which is a public park that features a conservatory, aquarium, and zoo, as well as sports facilities and a beach. Contact Our Detroit SOC 1 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Detroit and across Michigan from our Pittsburgh location. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 1 Reports ### R&D Tax Credit California R&D Tax Credit - California Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Los Angeles, San Diego and across California. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.California R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in California, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesgathering and documenting the related costsdetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablepreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Los Angeles, San Diego and across California for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Texas R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Los Angeles, San Diego and across California. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populated state in the United States. It is home to over 39 million people. Los Angeles is the most populated city in the state, home to 3.9 million people. The state is known all over the world for many reasons, some of those being the Golden Gate Bridge, Disneyland, Hollywood, culture and the entertainment industry. California has an incredibly diverse geography because in the west is the Pacific Coast, the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east and the Mojave Desert in the southeast. In more recent years, there has been an increase in droughts and wildfires in the state because of climate change and over-extraction. These issues are having a great impact on California’s business industry and agriculture. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Wisconsin R&D Tax Credit - Wisconsin Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and across Wisconsin. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Wisconsin R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Wisconsin, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit Services - Wisconsin Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentives Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and across Wisconsin for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Wisconsin R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and across Wisconsin. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Wisconsin Wisconsin is well known around the country for many things such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, consumer goods, film and energy. It is the 25th largest state and is home to well over 5 million people. The headquarters of the Miller Brewing Company is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2021 the company generated $10.28 billion in revenue, a 6.5% increase from the previous year. Milwaukee is known as the beer capital of the world because its first production of it started there in the 1850s.  The production of beer started in Wisconsin and has been commonly nicknamed “America’s Dairyland” since 1940 because it is one of the leading dairy producers in the USA. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Texas R&D Tax Credit - Texas Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Houston, Dallas, Austin and across Texas. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Texas R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Texas, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Houston, Dallas, Austin and across Texas for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Texas R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Houston, Dallas, Austin and across Texas. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About TexasTexas is the second largest state in the United States because of both its population and area. It has 11 major league sports teams, with the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys being the most well-known. Texas is also well known for the rodeo. The first rodeo in Texas was in Pecos in 1883. Years later, in 1997, the governor at the time declared the official sport to be Rodeo. Several industries are contributing to the growth of GDP in Texas. Some of those are business services, education, health, hospitality, manufacturing and energy.  “Don’t Mess with Texas” is a slogan known all over specifically to try and reduce littering in the state. It was not intended to be known worldwide when it was created. Statistically, 18–35-year-old males litter the most so the slogan was supposed to appeal to that demographic and keep them from littering.  https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit South Carolina R&D Tax Credit - South Carolina Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and across South Carolina. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.South Carolina R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in South Carolina, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit Services - South CarolinaAssisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsR&D Tax IncentivesBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and across South Carolina for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our South Carolina R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and across South Carolina. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About South CarolinaSouth Carolina attracts a lot of tourism because of its beautiful beaches, golf courses and historic buildings. There's a total of 12 beaches all along the coast of the state. South Carolina was ranked in 4th place for having the best golf courses in the nation. There is a total of 164 courses that are fan favorites all over. Several large universities are located there, such as Clemson University, University of South Carolina, Winthrop University and Coastal Carolina University. Clemson University is ranked 5th out of 25 universities for best college football.https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Michigan R&D Tax Credit - Michigan Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Detriot, Grand Rapids and across Michigan. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Michigan R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Michigan, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit Services - Michigan Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentives Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Detroit, Grand Rapids and across Michigan for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Michigan R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Detroit, Grand Rapids and across Michigan. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Michigan There’s something for everyone in Michigan. From cars to tech to tourism, the state boasts an incredibly diverse economy. Even so, the automotive industry is a powerhouse in Michigan. The auto industry bankrolls many of the state’s high-tech jobs, and it attracts a huge amount of research and development activity. In fact, Michigan’s R&D makes up a higher percentage of its overall GDP than any other state in the country. Michigan’s public universities receive over $1.5 billion in R&D grants annually. Its universities are also attractive to several businesses, churning out a highly skilled workforce and the nation’s third highest number of engineering graduates. Even so, 50% of Michigan is covered by forest, making hunting and tourism very popular among nature enthusiasts. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### SOC 1 Certification - Cleveland (OH) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – CLEVELAND, OH Cleveland and Ohio business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Cleveland SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Ohio and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 1 Examinations – Cleveland Schneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including: SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination. SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. take a free assessment quiz About Cleveland (OH) Cleveland is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Ohio, in the Great Lakes region of the United States. It is known for its rich history, vibrant arts scene, and world-class museums. Some of the most popular attractions in Cleveland include: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: This museum honors the history and legends of rock and roll, with exhibits featuring artifacts, interactive experiences, and memorabilia from some of the biggest names in music. Cleveland Museum of Art: This museum features a collection of over 61,000 works of art from around the world, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. West Side Market: This historic indoor market features a variety of vendors selling fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and baked goods, making it a popular destination for foodies. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: This zoo is home to a variety of animals from around the world, including elephants, tigers, and gorillas, and features a variety of exhibits and activities for visitors of all ages. Cleveland Orchestra: This world-renowned orchestra is one of the best in the world, and performs throughout the year at Severance Hall and other venues around the city. Cleveland is also known for its delicious food, with a variety of restaurants offering classic Cleveland specialties like pierogies, corned beef sandwiches, and kielbasa. The city is home to a variety of festivals and events throughout the year, including the Cleveland International Film Festival, the Cleveland National Air Show, and the Cleveland Museum of Art's Solstice Party. Contact Our Cleveland SOC 1 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Cleveland and across Ohio from our Pittsburgh location. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 1 Reports ### R&D Tax Credit Georgia R&D Tax Credit - Georgia Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Atlanta, Columbus, Augusta and across Georgia. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Georgia R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Georga, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesgathering and documenting the related costsdetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablepreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Atlanta, Columbus, Augusta and across Georgia. for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Texas R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Atlanta, Columbus, Augusta and across Georgia. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About GeorgiaGeorgia is known for its southern hospitality and its peaches. The Peach State has around 9 million acres of land dedicated to farming. Annually, the economy makes around $69.4 billion from agriculture. Several blockbuster movies and television shows, such as The Hunger Games series, Ant-Man, The Walking Dead and Stranger Things, were filmed there. There has been a significant increase in tourism over the last 20 years, growing from 100,000 to 6.5 million. This is not only because of the attraction from the entertainment industry but also from tourist attractions like World of Coke, Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, beaches, Stone Mountain and much more. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthX/TwitterThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### QoE Reports - Billings (MT) Quality of Earnings Reports - Billings (MT) When it comes to buying or selling a Billings or Montana business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Billings (MT) 59101 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Billings QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Billings and across Montana. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Billings (MT) The business community in Billings, Montana, thrives as a diverse economic hub for the region, driven by sectors like healthcare, energy, agriculture, and tourism. As Montana's largest city, Billings plays a pivotal role in commerce for the surrounding rural areas, making it a regional center for financial services, retail, and trade. Healthcare anchors much of the economic activity, with institutions such as Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare providing employment and driving development in life sciences. Energy and natural resources are also crucial, with oil refining, mining, and renewable energy projects contributing to economic stability. ### QoE Reports - Boise (ID) QoE Reports - Boise (ID) When it comes to buying or selling a Boise or Idaho business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a QoE Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Boise ID 83702 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Boise QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Boise and across Idaho. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Boise (ID) Boise, Idaho, boasts a thriving and dynamic business community that contributes significantly to the city's economic vitality and overall quality of life. Nestled in the picturesque Treasure Valley region, Boise has experienced steady growth and transformation in recent years, attracting businesses from various sectors.One of the pillars of Boise's business community is technology and innovation. The city has emerged as a notable tech hub in the Pacific Northwest, earning it the moniker "the Boise Tech Scene." Tech companies, startups, and entrepreneurs have flocked to the area, drawn by a combination of factors such as a lower cost of living compared to tech-centric cities like San Francisco and Seattle, access to outdoor recreational opportunities, and a strong sense of community. Boise's downtown area, in particular, has become a hotspot for tech companies, fostering collaboration and innovation.Boise is also home to a diverse range of industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. The city's proximity to fertile farmland and its well-established agricultural sector contribute to a robust food production and processing industry. Additionally, manufacturing companies in Boise produce a wide array of products, from semiconductor components to outdoor gear. ### R&D Tax Credit Florida R&D Tax Credit - Florida Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Jacksonville, Miami and across Florida. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Florida R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Florida, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesgathering and documenting the related costsdetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablepreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Jacksonville, Miami and across Florida for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Florida R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Jacksonville, Miami and across Florida. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About FloridaThe sunshine state is a vacation hot spot for a lot of the USA. Florida is known for its beach resorts, warm climate, clear ocean, amusement parks and more. Its main attractions are Walt Disney World, Kennedy Space Center and Miami Beach. In the United States, Florida has the fourth largest economy, with a gross state product of $1.2 trillion. Healthcare research, biomedical and life sciences, tourism and commercial space travel are some that have boosted Florida’s economy.  https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthX/TwitterThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### QoE Reports - Boston (MA) Quality of Earnings Reports - Boston (MA) When it comes to buying or selling a Boston or Massachusetts business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Boston (MA) 02108 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Boston QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Boston and across Massachusetts.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of  Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Boston (MA) The Boston business community is a dynamic and influential force in the city's economic landscape. With deep historical roots dating back to the colonial era, Boston has evolved into a thriving center for various industries and innovation.Today, Boston's economy encompasses a wide array of sectors, including finance, healthcare, technology, education, and biotechnology. This diversity reflects the city's ability to adapt and embrace change while remaining a hub of economic activity.Innovation is a driving force within the Boston business community, with local entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies contributing to advancements in various fields. Collaboration is a core value, as businesses, universities, research institutions, and government agencies work in partnership to address challenges, stimulate growth, and foster innovation. ### QoE Reports - Bangor (ME) Quality of Earnings Reports - Bangor (ME) When it comes to buying or selling an Bangor or Maine business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a Quality of Earnings Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Bangor (ME) - 04401 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Bangor QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Bangor and across Maine.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Bangor (ME) The Bangor business community is a resilient and essential part of the city's economic landscape. Anchored in a history shaped by the timber, shipping, and healthcare industries, Bangor's business sector has evolved to embrace a diverse range of enterprises.Today, Bangor's economy comprises various sectors, including healthcare, education, tourism, and technology. This diversity showcases the city's capacity to adapt and thrive amidst changing economic landscapes.Innovation is a driving force within the Bangor business community, with local entrepreneurs and established companies contributing to advancements in their respective fields. Collaboration is a core value, as businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations work in tandem to address challenges and stimulate growth. ### QoE Reports - Birmingham (AL) Quality of Earnings Reports - Birmingham (AL) When it comes to buying or selling a Birmingham or Alabama business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QoE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Birmingham (AL) - 59101 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Birmingham QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Birmingham and across Alabama.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Birmingham (AL) The Birmingham business community embodies a rich historical legacy intertwined with a commitment to innovation and collaboration. Rooted in its industrial past, the city has evolved into a diverse economic hub spanning various sectors. Entrepreneurs thrive in an ecosystem that fosters creativity and risk-taking. Birmingham's businesses prioritize collaboration, actively engaging in networking events and forums to forge partnerships and drive mutual growth. This community is a testament to the city's resilience and adaptability in a constantly changing global economy, exemplifying the spirit of innovation and camaraderie. ### QoE Reports - Baltimore (MD) QoE Reports - Baltimore (MD) When it comes to buying or selling a Baltimore or Maryland business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence.What is a QoE Report?A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential.Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your InvestmentsFinancial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisionsHistorical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance.Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment.Map of Baltimore MD - 21215 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit StrategyFinancial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business.Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale.Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale.Contact our Baltimore QoE TeamSchneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Baltimore and across Maryland.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Baltimore (MD) The business community in Baltimore, Maryland, is fueled by a mix of healthcare, education, finance, and maritime industries. Major institutions like Johns Hopkins University and Health System play a pivotal role in the local economy, alongside a strong financial presence with companies such as T. Rowe Price. The city's historic port supports shipping and logistics, while a growing tech and startup scene benefits from local incubators and research institutions. Baltimore’s economic growth is further bolstered by its proximity to Washington, D.C., fostering collaboration between public and private sectors. ### QoE Reports - Buffalo (NY) Quality of Earnings - Buffalo (NY) When it comes to buying or selling an Buffalo or New York business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Buffalo NY 14201 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Buffalo QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Buffalo and across New York.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of  Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Buffalo (NY) The business community in Buffalo, NY, is characterized by a collaborative and proactive approach to fostering economic growth and innovation. Central to this effort are the City of Buffalo's initiatives and partnerships aimed at improving the business environment and encouraging entrepreneurship. The Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning plays a critical role in coordinating development efforts and implementing community planning initiatives to enhance both the built and natural environments of the city​. The University at Buffalo (UB) contributes significantly through its business and economic development programs. UB's School of Management offers a variety of programs that link local businesses with university resources, fostering entrepreneurship and providing mentorship and networking opportunities for business owners and leaders. Notable among these is the Blackstone LaunchPad, which supports UB students, staff, and alumni in developing entrepreneurial skills​. ### QoE Reports - Charlotte (NC) Quality of Earnings Reports - Charlotte (NC) When it comes to buying or selling a Charlotte or North Carolina business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earning Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Charlotte (NC) 28202 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Charlotte QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Charlotte and across North Carolina.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Charlotte (NC) The business community in Charlotte, North Carolina, stands as a dynamic and influential force, driven by its status as a major financial hub and a center for diverse industries. Known as the second-largest banking city in the United States, Charlotte is home to major financial institutions like Bank of America and Truist, creating a robust environment for financial services, insurance, and fintech innovation. Beyond banking, the city has cultivated a thriving energy sector, with Duke Energy headquartered there, further reinforcing its role in the energy industry. Manufacturing, logistics, and transportation also play key roles, supported by Charlotte’s strategic location and access to a well-connected transportation network, including the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. ### QoE Reports - Atlanta (GA) Quality of Earnings Report - Atlanta (GA) When it comes to buying or selling an Atlanta or Georgia business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Map of Atlanta (GA) - 30303 Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Atlanta QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Atlanta and across Georgia. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Atlanta (GA) The business community in Atlanta, Georgia, is dynamic and diverse. The city serves as a major economic hub in the Southeastern United States, hosting a wide range of industries such as finance, technology, healthcare, logistics, and media. Atlanta is home to a significant number of Fortune 500 companies, particularly in the finance and telecommunications sectors. The city's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports, making it a crucial transportation and logistics hub. ### QoE Reports - Chicago (IL) Quality of Earnings Reports - Chicago (IL) When it comes to buying or selling a Chicago or Illinois business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earning Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Schneider Downs specializes in buy-side due diligence, helping buyers uncover the true value of their investments. Our buy-side due diligence services include: Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions. Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy When it's time to sell your business, Schneider Downs can help you maximize your exit strategy with our comprehensive sell-side due diligence services. Our sell-side due diligence services include: Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Chicago QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Chicago and across Illinois. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Chicago (IL) The business community in Chicago, Illinois, is diverse and robust, with a well-established reputation as a global financial and economic hub. The city is home to major financial institutions, including the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, making it a leader in financial markets, trading, and investment services. Chicago's economy benefits from its strategic location as a transportation center, with O’Hare International Airport and extensive rail networks facilitating national and international commerce. Manufacturing also plays a significant role, with industries ranging from food processing to aerospace contributing to the city’s industrial output. ### R&D Tax Credit Kansas R&D Tax Credit - Kansas Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Wichita and across Kansas. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Kansas R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Kansas, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings.We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Wichita and across Kansas for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings.National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Kansas R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Wichita and across Kansas. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About KansasThe Kansas business community is a dynamic and thriving ecosystem that plays a vital role in the state's economy. Known for its central location, skilled workforce, and diverse industries, Kansas offers a favorable environment for businesses to flourish. Agriculture is one of the key sectors driving the Kansas economy. The state is known as the "breadbasket of America" due to its vast agricultural resources and production. Kansas is a leading producer of wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, and beef. The agricultural industry is supported by modern farming techniques, advanced research institutions, and a robust network of agribusinesses, contributing significantly to the state's economy. Kansas also has a strong presence in the aviation and aerospace industry. Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, is often referred to as the "Air Capital of the World" due to its long-standing history and expertise in aircraft manufacturing. Major aircraft manufacturers and suppliers have operations in Kansas, creating job opportunities and driving innovation in the aerospace sector.https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Colorado R&D Tax Credit - Colorado Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Denver, Colorado Springs and across Colorado. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Colorado R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Colorado, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings.We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Denver, Colorado Springs and across Colorado for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings.National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Colorado R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Denver, Colorado Springs,  and across Colorado. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About ColoradoThe Colorado business community is a dynamic and thriving ecosystem that embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. Known for its breathtaking natural landscapes and progressive mindset, Colorado has become a magnet for businesses across various industries. One of the key strengths of Colorado's business community is its entrepreneurial spirit. The state has a rich history of fostering startups and small businesses, with a supportive environment that encourages risk-taking and innovation. Colorado consistently ranks high in national entrepreneurship and startup rankings, attracting ambitious individuals and organizations looking to turn their ideas into successful ventures.https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Illinois R&D Tax Credit - Illinois Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Chicago, Aurora and across Illinois. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Illinois R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Illinois, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Chicago, Aurora and across Illinois for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Illinois R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Chicago, Aurora and across Illinois. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About IllinoisHome to the famous city of Chicago, Illinois is the sixth most populous state in the country with over 12 million people. The state is known all over the world because of its culture, music and history. Many large companies, such as Walgreens, State Farm Insurance, Caterpillar and Allstate, all bring money and people into the state. Every year, the city of Chicago hosts a St Patrick’s day parade that is talked about all over. The parade has attracted over 50,000 people in pre-pandemic years. Chicago is also home to one of the tallest buildings in America, Willis Tower. Today Illinois is a major tourist destination in the Eastern United States.  https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational ReachSchneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthLinkedInThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Alabama R&D Tax Credit - Alabama Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Birmingham and across Alabama. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Alabama R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Alabama, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Birmingham and across Alabama for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Alabama R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Birmingham,  and across Alabama. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Alabama The Alabama business community is vibrant and diverse, encompassing a wide range of industries and sectors. Alabama has a strong economy that is supported by various factors such as its favorable business climate, robust infrastructure, and skilled workforce. One of the key sectors driving Alabama's economy is manufacturing. The state has a long history of manufacturing excellence, particularly in industries such as automotive manufacturing, aerospace, chemicals, and steel production. Major companies like Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and Hyundai have established manufacturing plants in Alabama, creating job opportunities and contributing to the state's economic growth. In addition to manufacturing, Alabama also has a significant presence in sectors like healthcare, biotechnology, information technology, and logistics. The state is home to renowned healthcare institutions and research facilities, fostering innovation and attracting investment in the healthcare and biotech fields. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Minnesota R&D Tax Credit - Minnesota Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Minneapolis, St. Paul and across Minnesota. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Minnesota R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Minnesota, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Minneapolis, St. Paul and across Minnesota for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Minnesota R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Minneapolis, St. Paul and across Minnesota. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Minnesota It’s the best of all worlds in Minnesota. The state has room for industries of all kinds, with a mixture of dense forests, sprawling prairies and thriving metros. Most Minnesota’s residents live in the “Twin Cities” of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and are employed in a vast array of sectors, from finance to services to healthcare, enjoying one of the highest per capita income rates in the country. The state’s prairies are home to an impressive agricultural economy. And with approximately a third of Minnesota blanketed by forests, logging, forest product and paper manufacturing all continue to contribute to the state’s sizable GDP. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Virginia R&D Tax Credit - Virginia Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Arlington, Richmond and across Virginia. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Virginia R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Virginia, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit Services - Virginia We can also facilitate your company’s accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentive Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Arlington, Richmond and across Virginia for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Virginia R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Richmond, Arlington and across Virginia. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Virginia Virginia is a state worth paying attention to. The state’s GDP ranks 13-highest in the nation, while its poverty rate is 12th-lowest.  Virginia’s economy draws from several diverse sources—from government to tech to farming. The state also has the nation’s third highest concentration of technology workers. This is no small wonder, since Virginia’s average internet download speeds are the second highest in the country. But even though Virginia is the highest data center market nationwide and its top export is the computer chip, it’s not just tech that drives Virginia forward. The largest industry in Virginia is still its agriculture, and it’s also the country’s third-largest producer of seafood. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Ohio R&D Tax Credit - Ohio Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and across Ohio. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Ohio R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Ohio, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit - Ohio We can also facilitate your company’s accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by assisting your staff in: identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentive Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and across Ohio for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC, and many more. Contact Our Ohio R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and across Ohio. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Ohio Ohio is one of the states that has the biggest cities. Ohio State University is in Columbus and is famous for its college football team. Cleveland is home to the Browns professional football team. Ohio also has several tourist attractions such as the Cincinnati Zoo, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cedar Point, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Hocking Hills and Columbus Zoo. Several big companies have their headquarters in Ohio, such as Procter & Gamble, Nationwide Insurance, Progressive Insurance, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Kroger, L Brands, Sherwin-Williams and Big Lots. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Massachusetts R&D Tax Credit - Massachusetts Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Boston, Worcester and across Massachusetts. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Massachusetts R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Massachusetts, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Boston, Worcester and across Massachusetts for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Massachusetts R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Boston, Worcester and across Massachusetts. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Massachusetts It’s a forward march in Massachusetts. The 2016 Bloomberg rated “most innovative state in the country,” lives up to its title in more ways than one. The state’s economy has reinvented itself several times over—from a primarily agricultural state to an industrial powerhouse to a global leader in tech, finance and education. These sectors keep the most populous state in New England strong, with the average personal income the third highest in the nation. Massachusetts is home to some of the most highly esteemed academic institutions, and Cambridge boasts “the most innovative square mile on the planet,” which has hosted countless quality entrepreneurial projects since 2010. The state is also spearheading the charge towards sustainability, ranking as the most energy efficient state in the U.S. in both 2015 and 2016. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Maryland R&D Tax Credit - Maryland Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Baltimore, Annapolis and across Maryland. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Maryland R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Maryland, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings.We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Baltimore, Annapolis and across Maryland for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings.National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Maryland R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in  Baltimore, Annapolis and across Maryland. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About MarylandMaryland is thriving by any measure. Though the state uses a metric of well-being, the “Genuine Progress Indicator,” in lieu of its GDP to measure its development, its GDP is strong and per capita income is one of the highest—and poverty the lowest—in the country. Maryland’s economic and population growth began largely after the Industrial Revolution, and it is now one of the nation’s most densely populated states and boasts an incredibly diverse economy. Its proximity to the D.C. metro area provides the state with a host of government jobs. But Maryland’s residents are also frequently employed in the aerospace industry, research institutions, biotechnology companies and some of the most sophisticated computer centers in the country.https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Pennsylvania R&D Tax Credit - Pennsylvania Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and across Pennsylvania. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Pennsylvania R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Pennsylvania, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit - Pennsylvania We can also facilitate your company’s accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by assisting your staff in: identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentives Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Pennsylvania R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is bigger than you think. In fact, if it were its own country, it would have the 22nd-largest economy in the world. Most of its residents are concentrated in the Philadelphia and Greater Pittsburgh metro areas. The cities are home to jobs aplenty—in sectors such as healthcare, higher education, finance and insurance. Despite the popularity and success of Pennsylvania’s cities, however, most of the state is rural, and it actually ranks 19th in overall agricultural production. The agricultural industry has a large impact on Pennsylvania residents, with employment provided in farming, food manufacturing and food product export. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit South Dakota R&D Tax Credit - South Dakota Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Sioux Falls and across South Dakota. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. South Dakota R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in South Dakota, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Sioux Falls and across South Dakota for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our South Dakota R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Sioux Falls and across South Dakota. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About South Dakota South Dakota's business landscape blends tradition with innovation. Agriculture, is the foundation, corn, soybeans and cattle ranching thrive on the fertile plains. Modern techniques and sustainability ensure future harvests. Tourism complements this strength, with Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills drawing visitors and bolstering local economies through events like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Manufacturing is also on the rise, with food processing, machinery and electronics production capitalizing on the state's central location and infrastructure, creating a diversified and promising economic landscape. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit North Carolina R&D Tax Credit - North Carolina Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Charlotte and across North Carolina. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. North Carolina R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in North Carolina, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Charlotte and across North Carolina for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our North Carolina R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Charlotte and across North Carolina. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About North Carolina North Carolina's business landscape thrives on collaboration and innovation. Boasting a skilled workforce, a strategic East Coast location and a favorable business environment with tax breaks and development programs, the state attracts companies of all sizes across diverse industries. Well-developed transportation infrastructure connects businesses to national and international markets, solidifying North Carolina as a dynamic hub for economic growth. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit New York R&D Tax Credit - New York Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in New York City and across New York. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. New York R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in New York, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in New York City and across New York for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our New York R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in New York City  and across New York. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About New York New York's business scene pulsates with energy and ambition. A global magnet, it's known as the financial capital, where Wall Street's towering institutions like the NYSE orchestrate high-stakes deals. Yet, the Big Apple offers more than finance – it's a diverse ecosystem. Tech titans like Google and Facebook thrive in Silicon Alley, while media, fashion, entertainment and real estate all flourish, solidifying New York's position as a powerhouse of innovation and ambition across industries. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit New Hampshire R&D Tax Credit - New Hampshire Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Manchester, Nashua and across New Hampshire. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. New Hampshire R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in New Hampshire, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Manchester, Nashua and across New Hampshire for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our New Hampshire R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Manchester, Nashua and across New Hampshire. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About New Hampshire Whether geographically or otherwise, New Hampshire is at the top. It consistently ranks as one of the top ten states in healthcare, governance, fiscal stability and socioeconomic opportunity. The roughly 1.3 million residents of the state enjoy one of the highest median household incomes and some of the lowest poverty, unemployment and crime rates in the country. And to top it off, New Hampshire has one of the nation’s smallest tax burdens. Fueling the state’s success is its booming economy, which diversified in the 20th century. New Hampshire’s economy is bolstered by real estate, financial and professional services, healthcare, tourism and government services. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Vermont R&D Tax Credit - Vermont Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Burlington, Essex and across Vermont. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Vermont R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Vermont, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit Services - Vermont We can also facilitate your company’s accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by assisting your staff in: identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Burlington, Essex and across Vermont for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, and many more. Contact Our Vermont R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Burlington, Essex and across Vermont. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Vermont Vermont is a top commodity. Visitors to the second least-populous state in the country more than compensate for its relatively small number of permanent residents. Indeed, tourism is one of the state’s strongest industries. Guests have long been fascinated with Vermont—its mountains attracting skiers in the winter and its scenic resources attracting hikers and inspiration-seeking artists in the warmer months. Many of Vermont’s industries are geared towards specialty items that exude the state's unique culture. Visitors enjoy hockey sticks, furniture and paper created from Vermont timber and by Vermont manufacturers. And the agricultural sector pumps out classic Vermont staples such as milk and maple syrup. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Nevada R&D Tax Credit - Nevada Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Las Vegas and across Nevada. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Nevada R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Nevada, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Las Vegas and across Nevada for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Nevada R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Las Vegas and across Nevada. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Nevada Nevada's business landscape shimmers with both dazzling tourist destinations like Las Vegas and bold ventures in innovation. This dynamic ecosystem, fueled by a favorable business climate, attracts companies across sectors. Tourism reigns supreme, with hotels, casinos and entertainment venues drawing millions and bolstering the state's coffers. But Nevada isn't a one-trick pony – it's a tech hub too, with Las Vegas luring startups and established companies with tax breaks, grants and prestigious events like CES, proving Nevada's business scene is as vibrant as its neon lights. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Nebraska R&D Tax Credit - Nebraska Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Lincoln, Omaha and across Nebraska. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Nebraska R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Nebraska, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Lincoln, Omaha, and across Nebraska for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Nebraska R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Lincoln, Omaha and across Nebraska. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Nebraska Nebraska's business community thrives on a dynamic ecosystem fueled by agriculture and manufacturing. Known for its strong work ethic and central location, Nebraska boasts fertile soil and is a leading producer of corn, soybeans, and livestock. Innovative farming techniques, research institutions and a robust agribusiness network support this vital sector. Manufacturing flourishes as well, with major companies drawn to the skilled workforce and Nebraska's role as a distribution hub. From agriculture's backbone to cutting-edge manufacturing, Nebraska's business landscape fosters a diverse and thriving economy. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Montana R&D Tax Credit - Montana Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Billings and across Montana. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Montana R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Montana in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Billings, Helena and across Montana for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Montana R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Billings, Helena,  and across Montana. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Montana Montana's business community thrives on a spirit of independence, mirroring the state's natural beauty and rugged landscapes. "Big Sky Country" attracts entrepreneurs and outdoor enthusiasts alike, with agriculture playing a key role. Family-owned farms and ranches leverage the vast fertile land for wheat, barley, beef and dairy production. Tourism is another pillar, with stunning mountains, pristine lakes, and abundant wildlife drawing visitors who fuel businesses in lodging, recreation, and hospitality. From agriculture to adventure, Montana's business landscape offers a unique experience. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Louisiana R&D Tax Credit - Louisiana Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and across Louisiana. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Louisiana R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Louisiana, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and across Louisiana for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Louisiana R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and across Louisiana. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Louisiana Louisiana is most famous for its Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. It is also well known for jazz, bayous Creole cuisine and jambalaya. New Orleans is a major tourist attraction all over the world. People go to experience the nightlife, participate in the celebrations, visit the famous Bourbon Street, enjoy Creole cuisine and more. Louisiana is the largest crawfish producer in the USA. Annually, the crawfish portion of the seafood industry impacts the economy by $120 million. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Utah R&D Tax Credit - Utah Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo and across Utah. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Utah R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Utah, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company’s accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by assisting your staff in: identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentives Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo and across Utah for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, and many more. Contact Our Utah R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo and across Utah. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Utah Utah isn’t slowing down. Since 2010, it’s had faster population growth than any other state—a trend that shows no sign of stopping. The state ranks among the best in terms of healthcare, education and infrastructure, and it boasts one of the lowest rates of income inequality in the country. Indeed, Utah’s diverse economy offers ample opportunities for employment in the transportation, information technology, research, government service, mining and tourism industries. And Utah is known for attracting business—it consistently ranks as one of the states that is friendliest to small business, and it famously attracts high-paying, high tech jobs. Utah’s five national parks also attract scores of tourists to the area. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Missouri R&D Tax Credit - Missouri Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in St. Louis and across Missouri. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Missouri R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Missouri, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings.We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in St. Louis and across Missouri for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings.National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Missouri R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in St. Louis and across Missouri. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About MissouriMissouri's business climate is thriving, with a low corporate tax rate and a focus on workforce development attracting new ventures. This strong business foundation contributes to the state's healthy GDP, which reached $304 billion in 2023 and is experiencing steady growth. This economic strength makes Missouri an attractive location for businesses to set up shop and contribute to the state's ongoing prosperity.https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Kentucky R&D Tax Credit - Kentucky Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Lexington, Louisville and across Kentucky. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Kentucky R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Kentucky, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings.We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Lexington, Louisville, and across Kentucky for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings.National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Kentucky R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Lexington, Louisville,  and across Kentucky. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About KentuckyThe Kentucky business community is a dynamic and diverse landscape that plays a significant role in the state's economy. From its rich heritage with auto giants like Toyota and Ford, to its thriving agriculture and food processing sectors known for bourbon and poultry production. Kentucky offers a favorable business climate, strategic location and skilled workforce, making it an attractive destination for businesses across various industries.https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthURLThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### R&D Tax Credit Alaska R&D Tax Credit - Alaska Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Anchorage, Fairbanks and across Alaska. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Alaska R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Alaska, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. R&D Tax Credit Services - Alaska Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities Gathering and documenting the related costs Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 Providing support with federal or state audits R&D Tax Incentives Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Anchorage, Fairbanks and across Alaska for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more. Contact Our Alaska R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Anchorage, Fairbanks and across Alaska. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Alaska There’s no shortage of space in Alaska. No other U.S. state comes close to its size—its total area is more than the combined areas of Texas, Montana and California. With 80% of the state’s revenues coming from energy exports, Alaskan residents are likely employed in the natural resource extraction, shipping or transportation industries. Residents may also be employed by the federal government, military bases or within a growing tourism and service industry. With more than half of the state dominated by public land, parks and forests, tourists frequently visit to take advantage of Alaska’s most abundant resource: its space. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### SOC 2 REPORTS– PORTLAND (OR) SOC 2 REPORTS - PORTLAND (OR) Portland business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Portland SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Oregon and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Portland (OR)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 REPORTS– NEW YORK CITY (NY) SOC 2 REPORTS– NEW YORK CITY (NY) New York City and New York business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. New York SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in New York and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – New York City (NY)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz Contact Our New York SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in New York City and across New York. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – MIAMI (FL) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – MIAMI (FL) Miami and Florida business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Miami SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Florida and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Miami (FL)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz Contact Our Miami SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Miami and across Florida. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 REPORTS - PHILADELPHIA (PA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – PHILADELPHIA (PA) Philadelphia business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Philadelphia SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Pennslyvania and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Philadelphia (PA)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).  ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### R&D Tax Credit Idaho R&D Tax Credit - Idaho Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Boise City, Meridian and across Idaho. Our team of tax professionals specializes in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit.Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment.Idaho R&D Tax Credit ExpertiseAt Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Idaho, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by:Assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activitiesGathering and documenting the related costsDetailing the state tax benefits that may be availablePreparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765Providing support with federal or state auditsFederal R&D Tax CreditsBoth federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Boise City, Meridian and across Idaho for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your federal and state credit eligibility to maximize your savings.National ReachSchneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Washington DC and many more.Contact Our Idaho R&D Tax Credit ExpertsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Boise City, Meridian and across Idaho. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.About IdahoIt’s full steam ahead in Idaho. The state’s industrial economy is growing, and high-tech products are spearheading the charge. Over 25% of the 14th largest state’s GDP comes from the technology and science sector, which account for a majority of its exports. Other industries, such as manufacturing, food processing, forestry and agriculture have significant roles to play as well. The state boasts an agricultural sector responsible for providing about a third of the country’s potatoes. And of course, tourism is also an important industry for Idaho, whose natural beauty earned it the official title of the “Gem State.” https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFINational Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – MILWAUKEE GREEN BAY (WI) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – MILWAUKEE GREEN BAY (WI) Milwaukee and Green Bay business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Milwaukee SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Wisconsin and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Milwaukee Green Bay (WI)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz Contact Our Milwaukee SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and across Wisconsin. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).  ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About the Milwaukee Business Community The Milwaukee business community is a diverse and dynamic network contributing significantly to the city's economy. Milwaukee has strong sectors in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and technology, supported by its strategic location, skilled workforce, and favorable business environment. The city's rich cultural heritage and quality of life make it an attractive destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, promoting economic growth and improving the business climate in the region. The Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Milwaukee area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business hub.Milwaukee's technology and startup ecosystem is growing, with organizations like Startup Milwaukee providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition offers mentorship, funding, and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators. ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – Wichita Kansas City (KS) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – WICHITA KANSAS CITY (KS) Wichita and Kansas City business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Wichita SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Kansas and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Wichita Kansas City(KS)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About Kansas City (KS)Kansas City, Kansas is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, with several theaters, museums, and galleries located in the city. The Kansas City Kansas Community College Performing Arts Center hosts a variety of cultural events throughout the year, including concerts, theater productions, and dance performances. The city is also home to several major sports teams, including the Kansas City T-Bones baseball team and the Sporting Kansas City soccer team, which plays at the state-of-the-art Children's Mercy Park stadium.Contact Our Wichita SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Wichita, Kansas City and across Kansas. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### R&D Tax Credit Rhode Island R&D Tax Credit - Rhode Island Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Providence, Warwick and across Rhode Island. Our team of tax professionals specialize in helping companies achieve tax savings, and we have extensive experience determining organizational activities that qualify for the R&D Tax Credit. Faced with international competition, organizations must continually invest in developing new and innovative products to expand and maintain their customer base. The R&D Tax Credit is a powerful opportunity for savings and offers an advantage to companies that incur considerable research and development expenses to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. At Schneider Downs, we’re experts at helping our clients evaluate their eligibility for the R&D Tax Credit, to make the most of their investment. Rhode Island R&D Tax Credit Expertise At Schneider Downs, one of our specialties is aiding our clients, including those in Rhode Island, in exploring ways to claim the R&D Tax Credit. We have significant experience conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, engineering, software development, and chemical products. We can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential savings. We can also facilitate your company's accounting and application for the R&D Tax Credit by: assisting your staff in identifying the qualifying R&D activities gathering and documenting the related costs detailing the state tax benefits that may be available preparing any required tax filings, including how to file Form 6765 providing support with federal or state audits Federal R&D Tax Credits Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies in Providence, Warwick and across Rhode Island for investing in Research and Development. Federal R&D Tax Credits can net as much as 10% of actual expenditures. Additionally, new tax rules (post-2006) might make it easier for your company to claim Federal R&D tax credits. At Schneider Downs, we will evaluate your eligibility for both federal and state credits, to maximize your savings. National Reach Schneider Downs’ tax professionals provide R&D Tax Credit services to companies located across the United States including those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, and many more. Contact Our Rhode Island R&D Tax Credit Experts Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the tax needs of businesses in Providence, Warwick and across Rhode Island. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you with the R&D Tax Credit, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. About Rhode Island Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States. The total population of the state is only 1.1 million people. It is located near New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. It is a great location to get to the big cities nearby. Because of its location, the traditional accent of Rhode Island sounds like a combination of a New York accent and a Boston accent.  The largest industries in the state are health services, agriculture, tourism and manufacturing. https://youtu.be/qOLu9PNvpFI National Reach Schneider Downs provides R&D tax consulting to companies in Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN),  Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Nevada (NV),  New Mexico (NM), New Jersey (NJ), North Carolina (NC),   Ohio (OH),  Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Tennessee (TN), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Whitepaper - 5 Things You May Not Know About the R&D Tax Credit. Download Now ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of R&D Tax Credit Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### SD Contact Us We want to hear from you. ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – OMAHA LINCOLN (NE) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – OMAHA LINCOLN (NE) Omaha and Lincoln business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Omaha SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Nebraska and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Omaha (NE)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About the Omaha Business Community The Omaha business community is a robust and diverse network that significantly contributes to the city's economy. Omaha has strong sectors in finance, insurance, healthcare, and agriculture, supported by its strategic location, skilled workforce, and favorable business environment. The city's high quality of life and central location make it an attractive destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.The Greater Omaha Chamber supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, promoting economic growth and improving the business climate in the region. The Omaha Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Omaha area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business hub.Omaha's technology and startup ecosystem is growing, with organizations like The Startup Collaborative providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Omaha Small Business Network (OSBN) offers resources, mentorship, and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators.Contact Our Lincoln SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Omaha, Lincoln, and across Nebraska If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – CHARLOTTE RALEIGH (NC) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – CHARLOTTE RALEIGH (NC) Charlotte and Raleigh business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Charlotte SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in North Carolina and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – Charlotte (NC) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz Contact Our Raleigh SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Charlotte, Raleigh, and across North Carolina. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About the Charlotte Business Community The Charlotte business community is a rapidly growing and diverse network, significantly contributing to the city's economic vitality. Charlotte is known as a major financial hub, being the second-largest banking center in the United States, home to the headquarters of Bank of America and the east coast operations of Wells Fargo. The city's strategic location, pro-business environment, and talented workforce attract a wide range of industries, including energy, healthcare, and manufacturing. The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance plays a key role in supporting and promoting local businesses. It provides resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities to help businesses thrive. The alliance also works to attract new investments and foster economic growth in the region. Charlotte's innovation and startup scene is vibrant, with organizations like Packard Place and RevTech Labs offering coworking spaces, accelerator programs, and resources for entrepreneurs. These organizations support early-stage companies by providing mentorship, funding, and networking opportunities. ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION –CLEVELAND CINCINNATI (OH) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION –CLEVELAND CINCINNATI (OH) Cleveland and  Cincinnati business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Cleveland SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Ohio and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – Cincinnati (OH) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About Cincinnati (OH) Cincinnati is situated on the banks of the Ohio River and is home to several major attractions, including the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the Cincinnati Art Museum. The city is also known for its historic architecture, including the Cincinnati Music Hall and the Roebling Suspension Bridge. The economy is driven by several industries, including healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. The city is home to several major corporations, including Procter & Gamble, Fifth Third Bank, and Kroger. Cincinnati is also a hub for transportation and logistics, with the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and several major highways located nearby. Contact Our Cleveland SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Cleveland, Cincinnati and across Ohio. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – PROVO (UT) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – PROVO (UT) Provo and Utah business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Provo SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Utah and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Provo (UT)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About Provo (UT)Provo is situated in Utah Valley, between the Wasatch Range to the east and the Utah Lake to the west. The city is known for its scenic beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities, including hiking, skiing, and fishing. Provo Canyon, located just east of the city, is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with several hiking trails and scenic drives. The city has a strong economy, with several major employers in the area, including Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, and the Utah Valley Hospital. Provo is also home to several technology companies, including Qualtrics, Vivint, and Ancestry.com.Contact Our Provo SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Provo and across Utah. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right, and a team member will follow up promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).  ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – CHARLESTON (SC) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION –CHARLESTON (SC) Charleston and South Carolina business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Charleston SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Charleston, across South Carolina, and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Charleston (SC)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About Charleston (SC)Charleston's historic district is one of the best-preserved in the country, with beautiful antebellum homes, churches, and public buildings. The city is home to several historic landmarks, including Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and the Nathaniel Russell House, a beautifully restored neoclassical mansion. The city's coastal location and warm climate make it a popular destination for outdoor activities, including boating, fishing, and beachcombing. The city is surrounded by several beautiful beaches, including Folly Beach and Sullivan's Island, which are popular among locals and visitors alike.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About the Charleston Business Community The Charleston SC business community is a vibrant and diverse network that plays a crucial role in the city's economy. Charleston's economy is driven by industries such as tourism, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics. The city's historic charm, strategic port location, and quality of life make it an attractive place for businesses and entrepreneurs.The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities. The chamber works to foster economic growth and improve the business climate in the region. Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Charleston area, promoting it as a prime location for business operations.Charleston's technology and startup ecosystem is growing, with organizations like Digital Corridor offering coworking spaces, mentorship, and resources for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Harbor Entrepreneur Center provides accelerator programs, events, and resources to support startups and early-stage businesses. ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – LAS VEGAS (NV) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – LAS VEGAS (NV) Las Vegas and Nevada business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Las Vegas SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Nevada and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Las Vegas (NV)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About Las Vegas (NV)Las Vegas is often referred to as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," thanks to its many casinos, world-class restaurants, and entertainment venues. The city's famous Las Vegas Strip is lined with iconic resorts, including the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and the MGM Grand. In addition to its entertainment industry, Las Vegas is also known for its stunning natural beauty. The city is surrounded by several breathtaking natural attractions, including Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam.Contact Our Las Vegas SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Las Vegas and across Nevada. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BOISE (ID) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BOISE (ID) Boise and Idaho business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Boise SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Idaho and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Boise (ID)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz Contact Our Boise SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Boise and across Idaho If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About the Boise Business Community The Boise ID business community is a dynamic and rapidly growing network contributing significantly to the city's economic development. Boise is known for its strong technology sector, robust agricultural industry, and vibrant outdoor recreation economy. The city's high quality of life, skilled workforce, and business-friendly environment make it an attractive location for companies and entrepreneurs.The Boise Metro Chamber pivotally supports local businesses by providing resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities. The chamber promotes economic growth and ensures a favorable business climate in the region. Boise Valley Economic Partnership (BVEP) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Boise area, highlighting its advantages as a business destination.Boise's startup scene is flourishing, with organizations like Trailhead Boise offering coworking spaces, mentorship, and resources for entrepreneurs and early-stage companies. Boise State University’s Venture College provides programs and support to help students and community members launch and grow their businesses. ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – DENVER COLORADO SPRINGS (CO) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – DENVER COLORADO SPRINGS (CO) Denver and Colorado Springs business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Denver SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Colorado and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Denver Colorado Springs (CO)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About the Denver Business Community The Denver business community is a vibrant and diverse network contributing significantly to the city's economy. Denver is known for its strong industries in technology, aerospace, healthcare, and energy. The city's strategic location, high quality of life, and skilled workforce make it an attractive destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, promoting economic growth and improving the business climate in the region. The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Denver area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business hub.Denver's technology and startup ecosystem is thriving, with organizations like Built In Colorado providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Commons on Champa offers coworking spaces, mentorship, and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators.Contact Our Denver SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Denver, Colorado Springs, and across Colorado. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.First Name*Last Name*TitleCompany/OrganizationEmail* Phone Number*Question?* Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – NEW ORLEANS (LA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – NEW ORLEANS (LA) New Orleans and Louisiana business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. New Orleans SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Louisiana and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – New Orleans (LA)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About the New Orleans Business CommunityThe New Orleans business community is a vibrant and diverse network that plays a significant role in the city's economy. New Orleans has strong sectors in tourism, healthcare, education, and energy, supported by its strategic port location, skilled workforce, and rich cultural heritage. The city's unique atmosphere and quality of life make it an attractive destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, promoting economic growth and improving the business climate in the region. The Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the New Orleans area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business hub.New Orleans's technology and startup ecosystem is growing, with organizations like Propeller providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Idea Village offers mentorship, funding, and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators.Contact Our New Orleans SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in New Orleans and across Louisiana.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – HOUSTON (TX) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – HOUSTON (TX) Houston and Texas business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Houston SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Texas and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Houston (TX)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About the Houston Business Community The Houston business community is a diverse and influential network that plays a crucial role in the city's economy. Houston is renowned for its energy sector, being home to many major oil and gas companies. Additionally, the city has strong industries in healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing, and technology. Its strategic location, large port, and skilled workforce make it an attractive hub for businesses and entrepreneurs.The Greater Houston Partnership supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, promoting economic growth and improving the business climate in the region. The Houston Economic Development Council (HEDC) focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Houston area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business destination.Houston's technology and startup ecosystem is growing, with organizations like Houston Exponential providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Ion Houston offers coworking spaces, mentorship, and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators.Contact Our Houston SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Houston and across Texas. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – INDIANAPOLIS (IN) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – INDIANAPOLIS (IN) Indianapolis and Indiana business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Indianapolis SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Indiana and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Indianapolis (IN)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz About the Indianapolis Business CommunityThe Indianapolis business community is a vibrant and diverse network contributing significantly to the city's economic development. Indianapolis has strong industries in life sciences, manufacturing, technology, and logistics, supported by its central location, skilled workforce, and favorable business environment. The city's infrastructure and quality of life make it an attractive destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.The Indy Chamber supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, aiming to promote economic growth and improve the business climate in the region. The Indy Partnership focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Indianapolis area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business hub.Indianapolis has a growing technology and startup ecosystem, with organizations like TechPoint providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Speakeasy offers coworking spaces and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators.Contact Our Indianapolis SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Indianapolis and across Indiana. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BOSTON (MA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BOSTON (MA) Boston and Massachusetts business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Boston SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Massachusetts and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.   https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – Boston (MA) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? Contact Our Boston SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Boston and across Massachusetts. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – ATLANTA (GA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – ATLANTA (GA) Atlanta and Georgia business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Atlanta SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Georgia and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Atlanta (GA)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT?National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).  take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About the Atlanta Business Community The Atlanta business community is a dynamic and diverse ecosystem, playing a crucial role in the city's economy and culture. Atlanta is home to a range of industries, including finance, technology, logistics, and film. It serves as the headquarters for several major corporations, such as The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, and Home Depot. The city's strategic location, robust infrastructure, and skilled workforce make it an attractive hub for businesses.Organizations like the Metro Atlanta Chamber work to support local businesses and attract new investments. The chamber offers resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy to foster a favorable business environment. Meanwhile, the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) connects and promotes the state's technology community through events, educational programs, and policy initiatives. ### SOC 2 REPORTS - LOS ANGELES (CA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – LOS ANGELES (CA) Los Angeles and California business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Los Angeles SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Los Angeles and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – Los Angeles (CA) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? About Los Angeles (CA) Los Angeles is home to several major attractions, including Hollywood and the famous Sunset Strip, Universal Studios Hollywood, the Getty Center, and the Griffith Observatory. The city is also home to several iconic landmarks, including the Hollywood Sign, the Santa Monica Pier, and the Staples Center. The entertainment industry is a major part of the Los Angeles economy, with the city serving as the center of the film, television, and music industries. Major studios like Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and Universal Studios are located in the LA area, along with many smaller production companies. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 REPORTS - BALTIMORE (MD) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BALTIMORE (MD) Baltimore and Maryland business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Baltimore SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Maryland and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – Baltimore (MD) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? About Baltimore (MD) Baltimore is situated on the Chesapeake Bay and is home to several major attractions, including the Inner Harbor, the National Aquarium, and Fort McHenry, which played a crucial role in the War of 1812 and inspired the writing of the US national anthem. The city is also known for its historic architecture, including the Bromo Seltzer Tower and the Baltimore Basilica, the oldest Catholic cathedral in the United States. The economy is driven by several industries, including healthcare, education, and government. The city is home to several major institutions, including Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University. The Port of Baltimore is also an important economic driver, serving as a major transportation hub for the region. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – CHICAGO (IL) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – CHICAGO (IL) Chicago and Illinois business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Chicago SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Illinois and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 2 Examinations – Chicago IL SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? Contact Our Chicago SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Chicago and across Illinois. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About the Chicago Business Community The Chicago business community is a thriving and diverse network of industries and enterprises, contributing significantly to the city's economy. Chicago is a central hub for finance, manufacturing, transportation, and technology, and it hosts the headquarters of several Fortune 500 companies, including Boeing, McDonald's, and United Airlines. The city's central location, extensive transportation infrastructure, and skilled workforce make it an attractive business destination. The Chicago Chamber of Commerce plays a pivotal role in supporting local businesses by offering resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities. The chamber's initiatives aim to foster economic growth and ensure a favorable business climate in the region. The Chicago Innovation organization highlights and supports the city's innovation ecosystem through events, awards, and programs that connect entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies. Chicago's technology and startup scene is vibrant, with organizations like 1871 Chicago and MATTER providing incubator and accelerator services. These organizations offer mentorship, funding, and resources to help early-stage companies grow and succeed. Additionally, the World Business Chicago initiative focuses on driving inclusive economic growth and job creation by attracting investments and supporting local businesses. ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – RICHMOND (VA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – RICHMOND (VA) Richmond and Virginia business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Richmond SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Virginia and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Richmond (VA)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. About the Richmond Business CommunityThe Richmond business community is a diverse and dynamic network that significantly contributes to the city's economy. Richmond has strong sectors in finance, healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing, supported by its strategic location, skilled workforce, and business-friendly environment. The city's rich history and quality of life make it an attractive destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.The ChamberRVA supports local businesses through advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities, promoting economic growth and improving the business climate in the region. The Greater Richmond Partnership focuses on attracting new businesses and investments to the Richmond area, highlighting the city's advantages as a business hub.Richmond's technology and startup ecosystem is growing, with organizations like Startup Virginia providing support, resources, and events for tech companies and entrepreneurs. The Lighthouse Labs offers mentorship, funding, and a collaborative environment for startups and innovators.Contact Our Richmond SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Richmond and across Virginia. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Reports - Virginia ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BRIDGEPORT (CT) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – BRIDGEPORT (CT) Bridgeport and Connecticut business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Bridgeport SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Connecticut and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 2 Examinations – Bridgeport (CT)SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II.SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. About Bridgeport (CT)Bridgeport is situated on the coast of Long Island Sound and is located about 60 miles northeast of New York City. It was originally a busy seaport and manufacturing center, but over time its economy has shifted towards services and healthcare. Today, Bridgeport is home to a number of hospitals and healthcare providers, as well as several institutions of higher education, including the University of Bridgeport and Housatonic Community College.While Bridgeport has struggled with crime and poverty in the past, the city has undergone a revitalization in recent years, with new residential and commercial developments, as well as investments in transportation infrastructure. Popular attractions in Bridgeport include the Beardsley Zoo, the Barnum Museum, and the Webster Bank Arena, which hosts concerts and sporting events.Contact Our Bridgeport SOC 2 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Bridgeport and across Connecticut. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Washington DC Economic Profile ### SOC 2 CERTIFICATION- SEATTLE (WA) SOC 2 CERTIFICATION – SEATTLE (WA) Seattle and Washington business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) (e.g., social security numbers, medical records) of customers.  Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 2 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Seattle SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Washington and nationwide to dozens of companies in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. SOC 2 Examinations – Seattle (WA) SOC 2 Examinations - These examinations concentrate on the Trust Services Categories and Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. SOC 2 requirements allow organizations to decide which categories to include in the scope of the examination. This flexibility means SOC 2 reports are unique to each company while providing a consistent framework to evaluate whether organizations meet the criteria for the categories they choose to include in the examination. Like SOC 1 examinations, there are two types of SOC 2 reports: Type I and Type II. SOC 2 Plus -These examinations include one to all five of the Trust Services Categories and Criteria, plus additional criteria for frameworks such as HITRUST, PCI, ISO 27001, NIST or other established control frameworks. About Seattle (WA) Seattle is a major center for technology and innovation, with several major tech companies based in the area, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing. The city's thriving tech industry has helped to fuel its economic growth and has made it a hub for entrepreneurs and startups. It is also known for its coffee culture, with the original Starbucks store located in the historic Pike Place Market. The city is home to several other popular coffee shops and roasters, and coffee plays an important role in the daily life and culture of the city. Seattle is located on the Puget Sound, a deep-water harbor that is home to several major shipping ports. The city's location has helped to make it a major center for international trade and commerce, with strong ties to Asia and other parts of the world. Contact Our Seattle SOC 2 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 2examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Seattle and across Washington. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Providence (RI), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE). TAKE A FREE ASSESSMENT QUIZ ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit SOC 2 Examinations ### International Tax CPAs Honolulu (HI) INTERNATIONAL TAX ACCOUNTANTS – MILWAUKEE GREEN BAY (WI) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Milwaukee, Green Bay and across Wisconsin. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Wisconsin International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Milwaukee (WI) The business community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a dynamic and resilient ecosystem deeply rooted in the city's industrial heritage and Midwestern values. Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee serves as a regional economic powerhouse, boasting a diverse range of industries and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. At its core, the Milwaukee business community is characterized by a strong manufacturing legacy, with companies ranging from heavy machinery to consumer goods. However, in recent years, Milwaukee has diversified its economy, with emerging sectors such as technology, healthcare, and financial services gaining prominence. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Wisconsin International Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and across Wisconsin. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Wisconsin Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners ### International Business Tax Seattle (WA) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS –SEATTLE (WA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Seattle and across Washington. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Seattle International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters About Seattle (WA) Seattle is located between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, which provide ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, and hiking. The city is also home to several iconic landmarks, including the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, as well as several museums, including the Museum of Pop Culture and the Seattle Art Museum. Seattle's economy is based on several industries, including technology, aerospace, and shipping. The city is home to several major tech companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, as well as several major aerospace companies, including Boeing. The city's port is also a significant economic driver, with several shipping companies headquartered in the area. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Seattle International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Seattle and across Washington. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="4"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_4"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Tennessee Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners ### Schneider Downs Digital Team The SD Digital Team Expertise with Heart. For more than 20 years, organizations across all industries have trusted Schneider Downs to find the right pieces for their digital puzzle. Originally Schneider Downs Technology and Data Services, SD Digital is focused on solving the unsolvable and delivering digital solutions built to unlock efficacy, efficiency and scale for a wide range of organizations, business processes and industries.  SD Digital continues to be a trusted innovation partner with our proven track record of producing impactful solutions built on our commitment to technology innovation and a digital mindset. With a pioneering spirit, user-centric perspective and agile approach, our team of digital innovators de-risk, develop and deliver digital forward solutions that solve complex business problems, achieve tangible results and most importantly, provide a delightful client experience.  Our Leadership Patrick Armknecht and John Huckle are our fearless digital leaders. Together, they lead the SD Digital, a group of forward-thinking professionals with an appetite for innovation and a knack for success.  Patrick Armknecht CPA, CITP Learn More > John Huckle Learn More > Tina Kirsch Rhonda McIntyre Robert Morgan Jason Reljac Bob Whalen Interested in Joining the Team? Contact Us Our Digital Values Guided by our set of client-focused values, our team of digital innovators help organizations unpack what digital means to them by challenging the status quo with the art of the possible. Eye on the Prize We understand the complexity and speed of business today, which is why we approach each digital journey with an unrelenting focus on successful outcomes for our clients. Progress over Perfection We deliver an iterative roadmap that celebrates milestones, learns from roadblocks and prioritizes continuous progress toward client objectives. Courage to be Candid Change can be challenging, which is why we promise to respectfully challenge the status quo, present our authentic thoughts and facilitate tough conversations, all in the pursuit of the possible. Real-world Experience With a robust firm of 500+ professionals, we have the business expertise and digital mindset to provide end-to-end solutions that account for industry, regulatory and financial considerations. Hardwired Empathy We approach each engagement through the eyes of the business leaders and stakeholders to design, strategize, develop and implement solutions built with the mind of our clients. Sustainable Speed With our unique combination of digital expertise and business experience, we can mobilize and deliver impactful solutions at the speed of business. Our Digital Solutions Data Analytics and Power BIPredictive and prescriptive solutions that transform siloed, unworkable data into actionable business insights.Digital ModernizationLet us educate and align your teams on how, tangibly and immediately, digital can drive efficiency, scale, savings – all with a keen focus on accelerated speed to outcomes.Intelligent AutomationEvaluate, adopt and implement intelligent automation to reduce risk, increase productivity and eliminate mundane manual tasks.Microsoft DynamicsMicrosoft Dynamics ERP Solutions Implement and evolve ERP solutions to meet the complex business demands of today and tomorrow.simpLEASE Accounting SoftwareMeet the ASC 842 lease accounting standard with confidence using our award-winning software built for accountants, by accountants.SD Insite Workforce Management SoftwareProvide a secure central data repository that interfaces with your accounting software, payroll software, or a third-party payroll processor. Ready to Start Your Digital Journey? Contact Us Industry Focus We are proud to help organizations across all industries discover the power of digital and understand that while the power of digital is agnostic, the need for digital varies based on industry. With a deep bench of industry professionals, SD Digital has the team and roadmap for digital journeys across different industries, including: HealthcareFinancial ServicesHigher EducationManufacturingNot-for-ProfitConstructionTransportation and LogisticsRetail and B2C About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated Schneider Downs Digital page or contact the team directly at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.     What our clients think OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > ### Solver Extended Financial Planning & Analysis Solver Extended Financial Planning and Analysis Accelerate better business decisions with Solver's Extended Financial Planning and Analysis (xFP&A). As financial planning and analysis (FP&A) professionals, we understand that clear data analysis and insights are crucial for making impactful business decisions. Incomplete and inconsistent data can hinder progress, efficiency, and financial goals by affecting an organization’s ability to make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and navigate the right path forward.Which is why Solver has introduced Solver xFP&A, an extended financial planning and analysis solution. This cloud-based solution consolidates business and financial data into a unified source, transforming traditional FP&A into a comprehensive, scalable performance management system. Solver xFP&A increases access to actionable insights beyond the finance department to accelerate better decisions and time to value. As part of Schneider Downs and an award-winning Solver partner, SD Digital offers the technical, business and financial expertise needed to maximize your Solver xFP&A investment.Ready to Get Started? Contact the SD Digital Team and let us know how we can helpWhy SD Digital?Digitally Immersed, Business EnabledWith access to a robust firm of 550+ professionals, SD Digital provides to business and digital knowledge to translate digital innovation to business results.Financial Planning & Analysis ExpertiseSD Digital has a proven track record of integrating financial planning and analysis solutions to improve business outcomes and client expectations.Specialized Industry KnowledgeWhile the potential of Solver xFP&A is universally applicable, its necessity can vary significantly by sector. Which is why our team offers specialized solutions for industries, including: manufacturing, retail, construction, not-for-profit and professional services.Premier Solver PartnerAs an award-winning Solver partner, SD Digital brings a recognized track record of helping organizations de-risk, scale, implement and optimize their Solver xFP&A investment.About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.     Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Software Solutions Software Solutions Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. Our list of software products can be effectively implemented across a variety of industries; in organizations large and small.We provide software solutions for accounting, fixed assets, distribution, manufacturing, e-commerce, nonprofits, automated workforce management, Human Resources, Payroll, and more. Over the past 20 years, we have implemented software solutions in over 200 organizations in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.The software solutions offered by SD Digital include:Microsoft Dynamics ERP SolutionsBusiness management solution that connects departments to streamline processes.SD inSITEWorkforce Automation and Management SolutionssimpLEASE Accounting SoftwareLease accounting software created by accountants for accountantsSolver Extended Financial Planning and AnalysisAccelerate better business decisions with Solver’s Extended Financial Planning and Analysis (xFP&A). About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.     OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Custom Development Custom Development Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. Organizations spend countless hours and dollars selecting software solutions; however, all too often, they discover that software is only as effective as the team behind it.If your software is anything but a solution, SD Digital can help. With our deep bench of technical expertise and business experience, our team continues to help organizations across all industries translate software specs to business-critical processes that drive impactful business outcomes. SD Digital specializes in custom development for Microsoft Dynamics and Automation Anywhere but can also deliver transformative results for other third-party and proprietary software solutions. Ready to Start Your Digital Journey? Contact UsAbout SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.     What our clients think Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Digital Modernization Digital Modernization Reimagine How You Compete in the Digital World In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, digital modernization isn’t just an option; it’s a necessity. But with the vast range of technology solutions available, where do you start?At SD Digital, we not only grasp the concept of digital modernization, but we also comprehend the needs of the organizations that require it the most. Many businesses face challenges in navigating the market, identifying the right solutions, and optimizing their existing technology investments. That's where we step in.Our team empowers organizations with transformative solutions to increase working capital, capture more revenue, reduce costs, and scale efficiently during periods of growth. We help finance teams modernize with impact by driving business model innovation and delivering real, actionable change—not just reports and slide decks. Digital Modernization Solutions Micro-TransformationsImplement targeted process improvements to drive incremental yet impactful changes across the business.ERP ModernizationAlign ERP systems with strategic objectives through process visioning, technology enablement and automation to support transformative growth.Digital Strategy Assessment Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of digital capabilities, tools, processes and strategies to identify gaps and opportunities, resulting in a prioritized roadmap for change.AI/ML StrategyEmpower organizations to harness AI and machine learning to drive innovation, enhance decision-making and gain a competitive edge.Human-Centered DesignLeverage user-focused problem-solving techniques to identify needs, align stakeholders, prioritize challenges and develop high-impact solutions.The Impact of Digital ModernizationDigital modernization can drive meaningful change at every level of an organization, with the greatest impact on people, processes and technology. While challenges may vary, the signs of needing transformation—and the benefits of doing it right—are often the same. Here’s what success looks like with the right approach. From Insight to ModernizationGuided by AGILE methodology, SD Digital follows a streamlined process to uncover opportunities, redefine possibilities and implement impactful solutions.Research Through workshops and analysis, we assess business operations, technical frameworks and areas for efficiency, identifying the best methods to drive transformation.Ideation We pinpoint gaps, reimagine the current state, and build a prioritized backlog of capabilities, aligning on a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).Remediation & Transition We provide strategic recommendations, establish priorities and deliver a roadmap for future-state implementation.Our approach ensures clarity, efficiency and a seamless transition toward digital modernization.Ready to Start Your Digital Journey? Contact UsRelated ResourcesDigital Transformation FAQ GuideDigital Modernization Service Overview About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.     OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### SD Digital Solutions SD Digital What We Do Contact Us SD Digital delivers modern solutions for modern problems through the power of digital.Whether your organization is aspiring to scale during a period of growth, streamline operations to free up cash and human capital, become nimbler to better serve customers, or better utilize your data to make proactive decisions, the SD Digital team has the forward-thinking mindset, business acumen and technical expertise to accelerate and progress your digital journey.We partner with you to unblock the promise that digital has for unlocking better business outcomes. Through being agile, user-centric, business savvy, and digital experts, our solutions are delivered with an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market, and a delightful user experience. With a pioneering spirit and client-first mindset, SD Digital works with you to de-risk, demystify and deliver outcome-focused, iterative solutions that translate technology into transformative change. SD DIGITAL CORE SOLUTIONSOur scalable, customizable and iterative business solutions empower organizations to discover the best version of themselves.Digital Modernization  Let us educate and align your teams on how, tangibly and immediately, digital can drive efficiency, scale and savings.Intelligent AutomationEvaluate, adopt and implement intelligent automation to reduce risk, increase productivity and maximize employee resources.Data AnalyticsPredictive and prescriptive solutions that transform siloed, unworkable data into actionable business insights. SD Digital LumenFiCombines advanced AI and digital finance expertise to illuminate critical insights within your organization’s financial data.Custom DevelopmentSolve complex business problems of all shapes and sizes that are unique to your industry, company and needs.Microsoft Dynamics ERP SolutionsImplement and evolve ERP solutions to meet the complex business demands of today and tomorrow. simpLEASE Accounting SoftwareMeet the ASC 842 lease accounting standard with confidence using our award-winning software built for accountants, by accountants. SD Insite Workforce Management SoftwareSD inSITE is a web-based application that provides employees, and other individuals associated with your organization, a central data repository for information sharing. Solver Extended Financial Planning and Analysis (xFP&A)Accelerate better business decisions beyond the finance department with Solver xFP&A. Ready to start your digital journey? Contact Us INDUSTRY FOCUSWe are proud to help organizations across all industries discover the power of digital and understand that while the power of digital is agnostic, the need for digital varies based on industry. With a deep bench of industry professionals, SD Digital has the team and roadmap for digital journeys across different industries, including:HealthcareFinancial ServicesHigher EducationManufacturingNot-for-ProfitConstructionTransportation and LogisticsRetail and B2CWHAT WE BELIEVE INGuided by our set of client-focused values, our team of digital innovators help organizations unpack what digital means to them by challenging the status quo with the art of the possible.Courage to be CandidChange can be challenging, which is why we promise to respectfully challenge the status quo, present our authentic thoughts and facilitate tough conversations, all in the pursuit of the possible.Eye on the PrizeWe understand the complexity and speed of business today, which is why we approach each digital journey with an unrelenting focus on successful outcomes for our clients.Hardwired EmpathyWe approach each engagement through the eyes of the business leaders and stakeholders to design, strategize, develop and implement solutions built with the mind of our clients.Progress over PerfectionWe deliver an iterative roadmap that celebrates milestones, learns from roadblocks and prioritizes continuous progress toward client objectives.Real-world ExperienceWith a robust firm of 500+ professionals, we have the business expertise and digital mindset to provide end-to-end solutions that account for industry, regulatory and financial considerations.Sustainable SpeedWith our unique combination of digital expertise and business experience, we can mobilize and deliver impactful solutions at the speed of business.About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn more about the SD Digital Story Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – NEW YORK CITY (NY) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – NEW YORK CITY (NY) New York and New York City business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. New York SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in New York City and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 1 Examinations – DenverSchneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including:SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination.SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. About New York City (NY)With a population of over 8.3 million people, it is a global hub for finance, culture, media, and entertainment. Some popular attractions in New York City include:The Statue of Liberty, which is a world-famous landmark and symbol of freedom and democracy.Times Square, which is a bustling commercial and entertainment district that is known for its bright lights and billboards.The Empire State Building, which is a skyscraper that offers stunning views of the city from its observation deck.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is one of the largest and most comprehensive art museums in the world, with over 2 million works of art from around the globe.Central Park, which is a vast urban park that offers a variety of recreational activities, including jogging, picnicking, and ice-skating.New York City has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and cold winters. The average high temperature in the summer is around 84°F (29°C), while the average high temperature in the winter is around 39°F (4°C). The city receives an average of 49 inches of precipitation per year, with most of it falling as rain in the summer months.Contact Our New York City SOC 1 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in New York City and across New York. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.).DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit New York Economic Profile ### SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – DENVER (CO) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – DENVER (CO) Denver and Colorado business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Denver SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Colorado and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 1 Examinations – DenverSchneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including:SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination.SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. About Denver (CO)Denver is known for its stunning natural surroundings, thriving cultural scene, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Some popular attractions in Denver include:The Denver Art Museum, which is a world-class art museum that features a collection of over 70,000 works of art from around the world.The Denver Botanic Gardens, which is a 24-acre garden that features a variety of plants and flowers, as well as art installations and seasonal events.The Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, which is a stunning natural amphitheater that hosts concerts, events, and fitness classes.The Denver Zoo, which is home to over 3,500 animals from around the world, including many endangered species.The Colorado State Capitol, which is a historic building that offers tours and stunning views of the city from its observation deck.Denver has a semi-arid climate, with four distinct seasons. The average high temperature in the summer is around 88°F (31°C), while the average high temperature in the winter is around 45°F (7°C). The city receives an average of 57 inches of snow per year, mostly in the winter months, and an average of 15 inches of precipitation per year.Contact Our Denver SOC 1 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Denver and across Colorado. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.).DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Colorado Economic Profile ### SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – CHICAGO (IL) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – CHICAGO (IL) Chicago and Illinois business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Chicago SOC ExpertiseSchneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Illinois and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables.https://vimeo.com/696683679SOC 1 Examinations – Chicago ILSchneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including:SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination.SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. About Chicago (IL)Chicago is a city with a population of over 2.7 million, it is the third most populous city in the country, after New York City and Los Angeles. Chicago is known for its rich history, diverse culture, and beautiful architecture. Some popular attractions in Chicago include:The Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), which is a 110-story skyscraper that was once the tallest building in the world.Millennium Park, which is a 24.5-acre park that is home to the famous Cloud Gate sculpture, as well as many other public art installations, gardens, and fountains.Navy Pier, which is a 3,300-foot-long pier that is home to many restaurants, shops, and attractions, including the Centennial Wheel, an iconic Ferris wheel that offers stunning views of the city.The Art Institute of Chicago, which is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States, with a collection that includes works by Monet, Van Gogh, and Picasso.Wrigley Field, which is a historic baseball stadium that is home to the Chicago Cubs.Contact Our Chicago SOC 1 Examination TeamSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Chicago and across Illinois. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly.National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.).DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Illinois Economic Data ### SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – AUSTIN (TX) SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – AUSTIN (TX) Austin and Texas business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Austin SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Texas and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 1 Examinations – Austin Schneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including: SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination. SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. About Austin (TX) Austin is known for its thriving music, food, and arts scenes, as well as its beautiful natural surroundings. Some popular attractions in Austin include: The Texas State Capitol, which is a historic building that houses the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Texas Legislature. The Barton Springs Pool, which is a popular outdoor swimming pool fed by natural springs. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, which is a botanical garden that showcases the native plants of Texas. The Blanton Museum of Art, which is a world-class art museum that features a collection of over 18,000 works of art from around the world. The Congress Avenue Bridge, which is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America and offers nightly bat-watching tours. Contact Our Austin SOC 1 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Austin and across Texas from our Pittsburgh location. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.). DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Texas Economic Data ### SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – WASHINGTON DC SOC 1 CERTIFICATION – WASHINGTON DC Washington DC business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to the financial information of customers.  Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to processing transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, such as Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404) stress the need for effective internal controls. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC 1 audit”) verifies that the controls, processes, and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Washington DC SOC Expertise Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations in Washington DC and nationwide to 150 companies annually in a variety of industries. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and other data that cybercriminals may want. Some examples of the clients we serve include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, data centers, IT-managed service providers, mortgage and loan servicing companies, medical claims processors, payroll companies, and inventory management and logistics providers. Our diverse range of experience permits us to understand the company more easily, its risk profile, areas of exposure, and important testing variables. https://vimeo.com/696683679 SOC 1 Examinations – Washington DC Schneider Downs is recognized as a premier provider of SOC services including: SOC Readiness Assessments - These assessments assess an organization’s preparedness for a successful SOC 1 examination. SOC 1 Examinations - These examinations focus on an organization’s business processes and IT controls, particularly those that are likely to be relevant to an audit of customers’ financial statements. There are two types of SOC 1 reports: Type 1 reports evaluate the design of an organization’s controls. Type 2 reports test whether an organization’s controls are properly designed and implemented. About Washington DC The City of Washington DC is the world’s destination. Home of all three branches of the federal government, international organizations, and some of the nation’s largest companies, the city naturally draws people from across the globe. The federal government is responsible for attracting organizations such as law firms, professional associations, and nonprofits, as well as nearly 200 international organizations and embassies. 25% of the city’s employees also work for federal governmental agencies. However, the federal government isn’t fully responsible for the enormous spike in the city’s daytime population during the workweek. The city’s diversified economy is growing, especially in industries such as finance, education, research, and public policy. In fact, according to the 2021 Global Financial Centre’s Index, the city’s financial district scored fourth most competitive in the country and 14th most competitive in the world. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 reports and certifications to companies located across the United States including those in Austin (TX), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), New York (NY),  Seattle (WA), Washington DC, Baltimore (MD), and Phoenix (AZ). Contact Our Washington DC SOC 1 Examination Team Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 examinations and readiness assessments to companies in Washington DC. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, complete the form to the right and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs provides SOC 1 consulting services to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Billings (MT), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (WV), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Lexington (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Montgomery (AL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY), St. Paul (MN), Orlando (FL), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Wilmington (DE) and Washington (D.C.). DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? take a free assessment quiz ASK US Contact Our Experienced Team of SOC Professionals. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Washington DC Economic Data ### 2021 Manufacturers' Economic Survey 2021 Manufacturers' Economic Survey Please complete this form to download the survey results. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company Name* Email Address* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### Intelligent Automation Intelligent Automation Automate and Enhance Business Processes With Intelligent Automation Automation can generate exceptional results, but adopting intelligent automation is how organizations can sharpen their competitive edge. This digital solution can unlock previously unattainable levels of efficiency and performance and prepare your organization for the future.Intelligent automation involves the integration of robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, and business process management to automate tasks and streamline processes using human-centric interfaces. The SD Digital team can help your organization evaluate, adopt and implement intelligent automation and find a better way forward with a more sophisticated and adaptable automation solution. Our team has the in-depth knowledge, business acumen, and deep experience necessary to translate business automation technology into strategic solutions to help your organization unlock the power of digital.Ready to Get Started? Contact the SD Digital Team and let us know how we can help.Intelligent Automation in ActionOne of the key advantages intelligent automation offers is the ability to impact controls and business units regardless of industry or vertical. Below are a few examples of how intelligent automation can help organizations streamline and automate key processes and roles.AccountingAccounts Receivable ProcessingAudit ControlExpense ManagementFinanceStatement ReconciliationP&L PreparationRegulatory ComplianceHuman ResourcesOnboardingEmployment VerificationRecord KeepingCustomer ServiceOnboardingRelationship ManagementUser Profile UpdatesMarketing and SalesLead NurturingInvoice ManagementCRM UpdatesOperationsInventory ManagementRefund ProcessingProcurement RecordsBenefits of Intelligent AutomationBy implementing this cost-effective and scalable solution, organizations can increase operational efficiency, increase productivity and maximize employee performance by tackling high-volume tasks critical to business operations with a virtual and intelligent workforce.24x7x365Increase productivity with technology that operates continuously without sick days, vacations, or staffing turnover.  Cost SavingsBoost productivity without adding headcount.Employee EngagementUse intelligent automation for mundane tasks, allowing staff to focus on higher-value and strategic work.Reduced RiskEliminate human error and establish robust audit trails for compliance and regulatory requirements.  ScalableBuild a flexible and scalable virtual workforce that adapts to your organization’s evolving needs and growth. SpeedAccelerate task completion time and increase processing capacity without requiring extra resources.TransparencyGain instant access to detailed performance reports and business insights for continuous improvement.Intelligent Automation Success StoriesLearn how SD Digital has made impactful change for clients across several industries with the power of intelligent automation.  Automotive Client - Sales Inventory ManagementLogistics Client - Vendor Invoice ProcessingNot-for-Profit Client - Monitoring Legal CompliancePayroll Provider Client - Internal AuditingProfessional Services Client - Cash Conversion Cycle Retail Client - Sales and Use Tax SaaS Provider Client - Bill Rates Adjustment Transportation Client - Road Toll ReconciliationWealth Management Client - Fee ProcessingRelated ResourcesIntelligent Automation OverviewAbout SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com.     OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? 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One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Penetration Testing Questionnaire Penetration Testing Questionnaire Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Thank you for your interest in our Penetration Testing service. To get started, please fill out the form below to the best of your ability. If you have any questions regarding the questionnaire or our services please contact the cybersecurity team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Do your needs go beyond penetration testing? Explore our full suite of cybersecurity services and capabilities at www.schneiderdowns.com/cybersecurity/additional-services. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Social Engineering Assessments Simulate Real-World Attacks to Identify Weaknesses and Raise User Awareness Social Engineering Assessments help organizations strengthen their cyber resilience by simulating real-world cyberattacks. These tests reveal weaknesses in your security posture and raise user awareness to better defend against threats. Social engineering attacks manipulate end users into compromising security by revealing sensitive information, bypassing security protocols, or granting unauthorized access. Often exploiting emotions such as urgency or trust, these attacks impersonate familiar contacts, creating a false sense of security. How Social Engineering Assessments Strengthen Your Security Social Engineering Assessments simulate real-world threats like phishing, vishing (voice phishing), and physical security breaches to assess your organization’s vulnerability to human error. These assessments help you identify areas for improvement and raise awareness about potential risks. Common forms include phishing, vishing (voice phishing), and physical security breaches. Phishing remains the most common form of attack, with threat actors using it to deliver malware, steal credentials, compromise sensitive data, and carry out attacks like ransomware. Victims often click on malicious links, open infected attachments, or provide login credentials to attackers posing as trusted contacts. Schneider Downs offers hyper-specific phishing simulations to address the ever-present threat of phishing. Vishing has grown in effectiveness as generative AI and automation tools have become more accessible, making it an increasingly significant threat. Schneider Downs offers robust vishing simulations to address this rising risk. Physical Security Testing is essential for identifying insider threats and ensuring that physical access controls are secure. Schneider Downs' experts assess these controls to enhance overall security. Customizable Social Engineering Assessments Schneider Downs collaborates with clients to design customized social engineering assessments that simulate real-world attacks in a controlled environment. We work closely with your team to understand your organization's cybersecurity culture, risks, and goals. Based on our findings, we configure our tools to create, execute, and track simulated attacks in real-time. The assessment may include: Phishing or vishing for credential harvesting Phishing or vishing for malware execution Phishing or vishing for MFA bypass Physical testing for restricted area access Our team monitors user behavior throughout the assessment, tracking actions like whether phishing emails are ignored, reported, opened, or whether malicious links or attachments are clicked. At the end of the engagement, we provide detailed analysis, highlighting high-risk behaviors and offering recommendations for additional training. Identities remain anonymous in the report, but users with risky behaviors are flagged for management’s attention. For subscription service customers, we offer ongoing data analytics to track employee behavior baselines and improvement over time. What to Expect from Social Engineering Assessments? Behavioral Data Tracking: Gather deep data to establish baseline user behaviors and track progress over time. Custom Campaigns: Tailor phishing exercises to fit your organization's specific needs and industry. Continuous Support: Benefit from ongoing assistance from our experienced cybersecurity analysts. Expert Analysis: Receive detailed insights and expert recommendations based on simulated phishing campaign results. Flexible Subscription Models: Choose from annual, quarterly, monthly, or on-demand assessments based on your needs. Real-Time Teachable Moments: Address any organizational security missteps immediately during the assessment for effective learning opportunities. Diverse Phishing Techniques: Simulate various phishing tactics, including malicious attachments, links, and other attack methods. Trusted Cybersecurity Partnership: Educate your organization and end users with ongoing support and guidance. Ready to get started? Contact the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security and vulnerability assessments, as well as a robust digital forensics and incident response team. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/cybersecurity. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Ransomware Security Service Ransomware Security Service Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. PRIMARY CONTACT: Carl N. Kriebel CISSP Despite growing awareness, the number of incidents involving phishing and ransomware continues to rise, with endless stories of breaches costing organizations of all sizes millions of dollars and immeasurable reputation damage. Attacks are not slowing down, which is why the Schneider Downs Cybersecurity Team offers a cybersecurity solution for ransomware prevention that begins with a comprehensive assessment of your organization’s cyber-hygiene. Our process implements preventive and monitoring software to ensure you’re prepared for the complex cybersecurity threats of today and tomorrow.  Our Approach to Ransomware Security Assess – Penetration Testing Schneider Downs takes a holistic approach to penetration testing to help your organization build resilience to cyberattacks and prioritize vulnerability remediation efforts. Our services are designed to assess your organization’s security by mimicking real-world cyberattacks using advanced skills, tools and techniques, then delivering comprehensive reports that provide detailed findings and actionable data to improve your security stature and readiness. Learn more about our penetration testing service. Prevent – Mimecast® Exploiting the human element through phishing is one of the most common means of compromise for today’s attackers. Ransomware is often initially delivered through phishing emails. Even with best intentions, legacy anti-spam solutions often have limitations and are typically not effective when it comes to targeted or opportunistic phishing attacks, which is why supplementing your cybersecurity defenses with a next-generation targeted email protection program like Mimecast is paramount. Learn more about our Mimecast® solutions. Detect – Carbon Black® Cyber attackers are innovating faster than traditional defenses can keep up. Carbon Black uses advanced predictive models to analyze complete endpoint data and uncover malicious behavior to stop all types of attacks before they compromise your system. There is no better solution to help stop malware, ransomware and non-malware attacks. Carbon Black prevents attacks automatically, online and offline, and is adept at blocking emerging, never-before-seen attacks that other solutions may miss. Learn more about Carbon Black® solutions. Download our Ransomware Security Service Overview for more information. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Vulnerability Assessment Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. PRIMARY CONTACT: Carl N. Kriebel CISSP It is critical to assess the risks within your organization's IT infrastructure. Despite an organization's best efforts, IT systems are often released with bugs and installed with misconfigurations, or the underlying technology is changing so rapidly that it's hard for system administrators to keep pace. Schneider Downs understands that the process for installing security updates can be confusing and time-consuming, and that, in reality, security updates can sometimes be overlooked. The goal of the Vulnerability Assessment is to provide our clients with a comprehensive view of potential security flaws in their environment by looking for misconfigurations, unpatched services, open ports, and other architectural mistakes. The results of this assessment will be a detailed report of vulnerabilities uncovered during the assessment, ranked by criticality, along with an agreed-upon remediation plan with detailed steps to assist in remediating noted vulnerabilities that create a security risk. Detailed Approach to a Vulnerability Assessment We begin by identifying the scope of the assessment through mapping the client's IP address ranges. This approach will help identify the active devices on the organization's network. From here, a port scan will be performed on each of the active devices identified. This will determine which services are running on each active device and the associated ports. From the device discovery, we will scan each IP address with our automated security assessment tools to identify misconfigurations, vacant patches, and service vulnerabilities that may exist within the host. We will then analyze the results to eliminate any false positives that may have been identified and determine the actual threat and risk to the organization. Our Vulnerability Assessment works in conjunction with our automated tools and the application of our industry experience. We determine the impact of potential security exposures and the risk they may or may not pose depending on your organization's overall security posture and risk appetite. Regardless of your organization's size, Schneider Downs will work with you to determine the most effective approach when determining the scope of the assessment. Our team will work closely with you to analyze the results and take a collaborative approach in issue identification and building action plans to remediate identified vulnerabilities. We also consider any other security components and mitigating factors to determine the overall risk to the security posture of the organization's IT infrastructure. We believe that it is essential to take this holistic strategic view during a vulnerability assessment to accurately identify the risk to the organization. The results of our assessment will be a detailed report of vulnerabilities uncovered during the assessment, ranked by criticality, along with an agreed-upon remediation plan with detailed steps to assist in remediating the noted vulnerabilities. Our Process Identify the scope/IP address range Port scan performed on each active device/IP Automated security assessment performed on each active device/IP Assess vulnerabilities considering mitgrating factors Eliminate false positives Produce detailed report About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Purple Team Assessments Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Do you ever worry about your organization’s ability to detect and/or prevent a threat actor? Would you like to know how your team and toolsets react to a battery of offensive tests that range from the most basic tactics to the latest and greatest advanced persistent threat techniques? Have you ever discovered a new attack technique and wondered, "How many more are there?" or "Which ones should I be worried about?" Are you curious about testing a particular exploit or lateral movement activity in your network, but aren’t sure where to start?If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, perhaps a Purple Team exercise is exactly what you need. A Schneider Downs Purple Team exercise brings together our red teamers and blue teamers, onsite, to work alongside your team to learn how to prevent and detect specific offensive techniques from the MITRE ATTACK framework and other hacker tools, techniques and procedures.As part of a Purple Team exercise, our goal is to provide the hacker toolsets and mentality of our red team experts along with the incident responder and defensive thinking of our blue team experts in a way that encourages, engages and sparks knowledge transfer.AcclimationTo maximize the effectiveness of a Purple Team exercise, our team must first gain a strong understanding of your environment. During this process, we'll become familiar with your current alerting/detection capabilities, as well as your network architecture and various other pertinent details. We believe the more we understand about your environment, the more valuable the exercise will be.Threat MappingBy leveraging every category of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, we'll work collaboratively with you to map a custom set of tactics and techniques that are risk-based, industry-appropriate and meaningful to your organization. This selection process is highly flexible and can steer the exercise toward a specific theme of offensive techniques or it can ensure a well-balanced exercise for a stronger baseline. Ultimately, the scope and variety of the exercise is entirely up to you. Additionally, we will cross-reference your threat intel against the framework's data to identify which threat actors youâre most likely facing in the wild, and then use our understanding of their typical behavior to further shape your organization's custom threat map. This enables us to anticipate additional attack vectors of concern and provide an authentic attack scenario within the collaborative process.ExecutionOnce threat mapping is complete, the offensive experts of our red team will execute each of the techniques in a transparent environment. This process encourages an "over-the-shoulder" element, in which your security can observe, learn and even get hands-on assisting in the execution of a variety of typical hacker activities like enumeration, exploitation, lateral movement, post-exploitation and exfiltration, et al. Throughout this process, our red team will serve as an expert resource to transfer valuable knowledge regarding modern offensive strategies, and offer insights into the mind of a hacker.Impact AnalysisThe success or failure of each technique is closely monitored to ensure complete understanding of its impact within the environment. The best-case scenario is for controls to prevent the execution or deny the intended result, in which case we may attempt several other methods of execution. If a technique is successful, we analyze the results to determine its full impact and identify additional mitigating factors. With the understanding that it's not always possible to prevent every technique, impact analysis for successful techniques allows for appropriate prioritization and accurate decision-making.DetectionAs our red teamers execute offensive techniques, our blue teamers are alongside your team simultaneously monitoring your logs and systems. If a technique is successful, we'll help your team leverage current capabilities to prevent/detect each technique. If current capabilities are insufficient, we'll help your team develop a plan for new capabilities. Throughout this process, our blue team will serve as an expert resource to transfer valuable knowledge regarding modern defensive strategies and offer insights into their real-world threat actor encounters.ReportingAfter the exercise, your team will receive a full report that will include a detailed threat map of each technique's execution status and analysis from both our red and blue teams, as well as a detailed guide for the implementation of any defensive items that were not fully addressed during the exercise.View our Purple Team Assessment service overview for more information or download our whitepaper, Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment, to learn more about the impact the assessment can have for your organization.About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Web Application Penetration Testing Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Web application penetration testing is one of the most critical components of any information security program. Web attacks are becoming more targeted, more prevalent and much more sophisticated.Our testing services provide an in-depth assessment of your web application to discover vulnerabilities caused by programming errors, configuration weaknesses or faulty assumptions about user behavior. Our approach combines manual testing and inspection with automated scanning toolsets to identify vulnerabilities.Ready to get started? Contact us or complete our online web application penetration testing questionnaire and a member of our team will reach out.Our web application penetration testing approach is based on the OWASP Testing Project for Web Application Penetration Testing and covers the following subcategories: shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Information Gathering shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Configuration and Deployment shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Management Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Identity Management Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Authentication Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Authorization Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Session Management Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Input Validation Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Error Handling shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Cryptography shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Business Logic Testing shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Client-Side Testing Our experienced analysts will work directly with your team to validate and explain all findings as they're uncovered. The deliverable you receive will outline all misconfigurations uncovered during our testing. Our reports are laid out in an easy-to-read format that summarizes the issue, shows a proof of concept, and provides a detailed recommendation to resolve the issue. Our findings are scored using the DREAD model, which takes into account the following attributes: shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Damage potential shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Reproducibility shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Exploitability shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Affected users shield bullet copyCreated with Sketch. Discoverability About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? The Schneider Downs Private Client Services practice was developed to attend to the specific and individualized needs of high-net-worth individuals. From robust and complex solutions to efficient and convenient solutions our team delivers the peace of mind that comes from working with experienced and talented professionals who can meet any challenge.No two clients have the same priorities or goals. Our private client services are tailored to meet your unique needs, with the ultimate goal of providing you with security, stability and the knowledge that your goals are being addressed backed by one of the largest public accounting firms in the nation.Let us know what makes you unique, and we'll show you the Schneider Downs difference.Explore the Private Client Service Offerings. Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: A comprehensive suite of services from a single integrated team. ### Wealth Management At Schneider Downs Wealth Management, we have options available to assist you with your specific needs, including: Investment Management - Financial Planning Schneider Downs Retirement Solutions Learn More Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: Through Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, we listen to you and customize a solution aimed to meet your needs and goals. ### Tax and Personal Financial Services With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, we offer a broad range of expertise to assist in every facet of tax compliance and planning. Tax Compliance We favor a hands-on, personal approach with constant client communication. We take the time to understand you, your family and your business so that we can help you plan to achieve your goals. Our services are customizable: We specialize in individualized tax preparation and planning to meet the unique needs of you, your family, and your business. Our expertise allows us to identify unique opportunities and leverage your wealth in new ways. We incorporate state-of-the-art technology such as TaxCaddy™ to streamline the transfer of tax return information from the client, brokerage firms, etc. Some of the returns we prepare include: Individual Fiduciary (Trust) Gift Estate Death Tax Split-Interest Foreign Partnership Family Limited Partnership S-Corporations, C-Corporations   Personal Financial Planning Our services are tailored to our clients' needs, and we are able to work alongside your existing in-house tax departments to offer not only traditional tax services, but also specific expertise for unique issues. Services such as cash management, budgeting, retirement planning, social security, and cash flow planning can prove to be burdensome amid your many responsibilities. Allow our team of experienced professionals to provide these services with diligence and expertise. We can provide you with the peace of mind of knowing that these critical areas are managed and in good hands. Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: A comprehensive suite of services from a single integrated team. ### Service Offerings Tax and Personal Financial Services Learn More Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Learn More Private Family Office Learn More Philanthropy Learn More Wealth Management Learn More Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: A comprehensive suite of services from a single integrated team. ### Private Family Office Accounting and Related AnalysisWe provide a host of accounting functions for you, your family, and your related entities. With a strategic focus on your personal financial statements, we deliver:Budgeting and financial projections to identify opportunitiesA clear and concise picture of your overall financial position and net worth to better manage assetsEfficient and effective tax preparationTreasury Management and Bill-Pay ServicesDeveloping a comprehensive treasury management plan is essential to ensure adaptability and flexibility and to preserve wealth for each generation. We work with you to develop a holistic tax-efficient plan for your family and individual members/entities to address:Cash flow needsRetirement and social security planningProjections using comprehensive financial statementsAsset Management ServicesA triage of services to manage your assets and provide you with peace of mind.Asset protectionReview of cybersecurity, life, property and casualty insuranceEstate and financial tax planning regarding transfers and/or valuations of assets, portfolios and or entitiesPeripheral services, including data/document management to safely and efficiently store and manage your documents, so you don't have toLifestyle Management and Family EducationPersonal Concierge Services that allow the family member to pursue their passions without the burden of managing their wealthPeace of mind through credible advisors that facilitate and streamline your lifestyleServices include but are not limited to:Household administrative servicesCalendar coordination and managementExpanded bill-pay servicesTravel arrangementEvent coordinationElder care coordinationInsurance and long-term care reviewSeasonal asset managementMultiple home administration and other services Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: Offering comprehensive executive and administrative services to accommodate your lifestyle and provide peace of mind. ### Philanthropy Many individuals desire to manage their wealth in a way that not only benefits loved ones, but also advances their philanthropic goals. Our not-for-profit professionals offer expertise to realize these goals, whether through the creation of a private foundation, utilization of donor-advised funds, or yearly tax planning to give charitably and maximize tax savings and fiscal sustainability.We work with both new and established charitable organizations, and are able to leverage unique connections and capabilities to best capture your vision.Our experienced team will help you coordinate the plan that most effectively suits your needs.Structured charitable givingAt Schneider Downs, we can incorporate your family's ideology to create and execute your philanthropic goals.Legacy planningAt Schneider Downs, we can establish your private foundation, and leverage community funds to support charitable causes that are of significant importance to you and your family.Through estate planning and other generational transfers, Schneider Downs can provide the greatest tax opportunities available for you and your family. Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: Creating and structuring charitable giving according to your individual passion. ### Meet Our Private Client Services Team SHAREHOLDERS Gregory L. Allison CPA/PFS, JD, CFP® Shareholder Lear More > Darin G. Schindler CPA Shareholder Lear More > Sarah Piot CPA Shareholder Lear More > CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER / DIRECTORS Carol G. Murray CPA, JD Chief Operating Officer Lear More > Melanie M. LaSota CPA, JD Director Lear More > SENIOR MANAGERS Ashley N. Bucek EA, MST, MBA Senior Manager Lear More > Catherine A. Martz CPA, MST Senior Manager Lear More > Maggie Gompers-Havelka JD, MBA Senior Manager Lear More > Vicki Mayowski CPA Senior Manager Lear More > MANAGERS Del E. Wilmot Jr. EA Manager Lear More > Kari T. Owens JD Manager Lear More > Michael W. Darpino JD, LLM, MBA Manager Lear More > PHYLLIS M. TEDESCO CPA Manager Lear More > Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### What’s the Fuss About TaxCaddy? By Share with a colleague Download PDF We are approaching our individual tax clients about the opportunity to use a new, secure software product called “TaxCaddy” to streamline your tax-prep process. TaxCaddy is a cutting-edge software solution that we are offering to our 1040 clients to gather and share their tax documents with us. It is our hope that this product significantly cuts down the time and effort our individual clients expend each year, and that it will make tax time much less taxing!The old way of gathering personal documents was time-consuming and cumbersome:Wait for envelopes to arrive in the mail with important tax documentsGather all of the documents, (be careful not to misplace any) and get them to your CPA either by mail or in personBe sure to tell your CPA about changes that happened to you over the past year, most likely by completing the huge paper “organizer”Oh, no! A corrected document arrived in the mail – now you've got to get it to your CPA and hope that it doesn’t get “lost in the paper shuffle”The CPA has returned all of your documents; now how should they be stored?TaxCaddy has the answer to streamline the process and get individual tax information to your CPA all year round with no stamps, envelopes or trips to the Post Office. Plus, it makes document storage electronic, so no more huge files of paper!When you sign up for this free service, you’ll enjoy the following:The account will belong to you; it’s not a Schneider Downs portal – So, even if you leave Schneider Downs, your account goes with you.All documents uploaded will remain in digital form, so you don’t have to store paper copies.You can link bank and brokerage accounts, which will enable your year-end tax statements (Forms 1099) to be retrieved automatically without your having to upload them.Documents that you scan can be “dragged & dropped” into your account.Utilizing the mobile app, you can snap and transmit photos of documents, so you don’t need to scan everything.Your account is available year-round, so a charitable receipt that you get in June doesn’t have to be located in February when you are gathering your tax documents.You’ll see a real-time document request list, so you know which documents you still need to provide to your CPA.You’ll have the ability to digitally sign documents, such as your engagement letter and electronic filing authorization forms, making such communications instantaneous.Security! TaxCaddy employs best-in-class encryption and threat management and mitigation practices, including regular security penetration testing.We believe that all of our individual clients will love using TaxCaddy. In order to get started, please send an email to:TaxCaddy@schneiderdowns.comYou’ll receive an invitation with further instructions which will enable you to establish your TaxCaddy account. At that point, you can share access with a spouse, family member, or trusted professional.If you’d like to discuss the TaxCaddy technology further, please contact your Schneider Downs professional tax team member. Share ### OUR THOUGHTS ON ARCHIVE Our Thoughts On Sort by Most Recent Most Viewed Categories Authors Advanced Search 401(k) Plans CARES Act Coronavirus Estate Planning Government Internal Revenue Service Private Client Services Tax Tax Impact TCJA Wealth Management B | H | J | L | O | P | W Author Search ENTER Danielle Jacobs David C. Brinkman Donna Wolfson Kari Tallarico Owens Maggie Havelka Matt Biggs Melanie M. LaSota Schneider Downs Professional Estate Planning, Private Client Services Danielle Jacobs | 06.15.2023 Are Your Digital Assets Lost Forever? If you are not careful with your estate plan, your digital assets may be stuck… Read More Estate Planning, Government, Private Client Services Melanie M. LaSota | 11.23.2021 Estates and Trusts Tax Update - November 2021 The Schneider Downs team of estate planning professionals provide an estates and trusts tax update… Read More 401(k) Plans, Private Client Services, Wealth Management Donna Wolfson | 11.03.2020 2021 Retirement Plan Limitations On October 26, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service announced the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) that will… Read More Private Client Services, Tax Schneider Downs Professional | 10.22.2020 2020 Election from a Tax Perspective With the presidential election about two weeks away, we wanted to highlight President Trump and… Read More Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates Estate Planning, Private Client Services, Tax Schneider Downs Professional | 10.15.2020 IRS Issues Final Regulations for Non-Grantor Trust Deductions The IRS has issued final regulations on the deductions available to estates and non-grantor trusts.Under… Read More Private Client Services, Wealth Management David C. Brinkman | 09.17.2020 Financial Boot Camp Series: Maximizing Gifting and Charitable Impacts By David Brinkman, CFA, CPA, CFP®, CPFAWhen working with individuals and families that are on… Read More Coronavirus, Private Client Services, Tax, Tax Impact Schneider Downs Professional | 09.03.2020 IRS Extends 2020 Rollover Period and Other Deadlines for Retirement Account RMDs In March, the CARES Act provided taxpayers opportunity to skip this year’s (2020) required minimum… Read More Internal Revenue Service, Private Client Services, Tax, Tax Impact Maggie Havelka | 08.17.2020 IRS Audit Campaign: Examinations to begin on Hundreds of High-Wealth Individuals The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced in June a renewed focus on auditing high net-worth… Read More Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates Private Client Services, Tax, TCJA Schneider Downs Professional | 07.28.2020 Use It or Lose It…Maybe: Gift Planning Considerations in an Unpredictable Election Year In a year rife with a global pandemic, intense social justice movements, tempestuous markets and… Read More Private Client Services, Wealth Management David C. Brinkman | 07.21.2020 Financial Boot Camp Series: Is Your Estate in Proper Order? Estate planning is the process of identifying one’s assets and providing clear instruction for who… Read More 1 2 Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### More than a Slogan By Share with a colleague Download PDF Schneider Downs’ mission statement reads "Working together every day to make our firm, clients and communities better." We at Schneider Downs believe that this motto is much more than just a string of words. In addition to the stellar services our firm provides to our clients, our colleagues are involved in various activities and events to make an important contribution to our world.These include external events such as participating in:The Race to Anyplace (benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society)JDRF Gala (Finding a cure for diabetes)United Way Free Tax Preparation (for low-income citizens)Lending Hearts Gala (support for young adults/children with cancer)JA Bowl-a-thon (benefits Junior Achievement)Red Door Project (support of local homeless shelter)Pelotonia (benefits James Cancer Hospital)Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh (support for home repairs for low-income citizens)Treasures for Children (Salvation Army Christmas gift drive)Real Men Wear Pink (benefits American Cancer Society)Polar Bear Plunge (benefits Special Olympics)Internal activities at Schneider Downs this past year included:Creation of sleeping mats for the homeless (utilizing plastic bag “plarn”)Dodgeball tournament (to benefit United Way)Countless fundraiser 50 / 50 raffles and Happy Hours for a variety of causesPacking and delivering lunches for a nearby homeless shelterIn fact, our employees have made contributions of time/talent/treasure in more than 20 Schneider Downs approved events during the previous year. These are in addition to the personal contributions our employees make outside of work – to their places of worship, community and school sports, alma maters and boards on which they serve.Here at Schneider Downs, we believe in our communities and know that our efforts can bring about a positive influence. So, it is indeed more than a slogan – it’s part of who we are! Share Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### IN THE SPOTLIGHT ARCHIVE Our Thoughts On Sort by Most Recent Most Viewed Categories Authors Advanced Search 401(k) Plans CARES Act Coronavirus Estate Planning Government Internal Revenue Service Private Client Services Tax Tax Impact TCJA Wealth Management B | H | J | L | O | P | W Author Search ENTER Danielle Jacobs David C. Brinkman Donna Wolfson Kari Tallarico Owens Maggie Havelka Matt Biggs Melanie M. LaSota Schneider Downs Professional Estate Planning, Private Client Services Danielle Jacobs | 06.15.2023 Are Your Digital Assets Lost Forever? If you are not careful with your estate plan, your digital assets may be stuck… Read More Estate Planning, Government, Private Client Services Melanie M. LaSota | 11.23.2021 Estates and Trusts Tax Update - November 2021 The Schneider Downs team of estate planning professionals provide an estates and trusts tax update… Read More 401(k) Plans, Private Client Services, Wealth Management Donna Wolfson | 11.03.2020 2021 Retirement Plan Limitations On October 26, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service announced the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) that will… Read More Private Client Services, Tax Schneider Downs Professional | 10.22.2020 2020 Election from a Tax Perspective With the presidential election about two weeks away, we wanted to highlight President Trump and… Read More Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates Estate Planning, Private Client Services, Tax Schneider Downs Professional | 10.15.2020 IRS Issues Final Regulations for Non-Grantor Trust Deductions The IRS has issued final regulations on the deductions available to estates and non-grantor trusts.Under… Read More Private Client Services, Wealth Management David C. Brinkman | 09.17.2020 Financial Boot Camp Series: Maximizing Gifting and Charitable Impacts By David Brinkman, CFA, CPA, CFP®, CPFAWhen working with individuals and families that are on… Read More Coronavirus, Private Client Services, Tax, Tax Impact Schneider Downs Professional | 09.03.2020 IRS Extends 2020 Rollover Period and Other Deadlines for Retirement Account RMDs In March, the CARES Act provided taxpayers opportunity to skip this year’s (2020) required minimum… Read More Internal Revenue Service, Private Client Services, Tax, Tax Impact Maggie Havelka | 08.17.2020 IRS Audit Campaign: Examinations to begin on Hundreds of High-Wealth Individuals The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced in June a renewed focus on auditing high net-worth… Read More Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates Private Client Services, Tax, TCJA Schneider Downs Professional | 07.28.2020 Use It or Lose It…Maybe: Gift Planning Considerations in an Unpredictable Election Year In a year rife with a global pandemic, intense social justice movements, tempestuous markets and… Read More Private Client Services, Wealth Management David C. Brinkman | 07.21.2020 Financial Boot Camp Series: Is Your Estate in Proper Order? Estate planning is the process of identifying one’s assets and providing clear instruction for who… Read More 1 2 Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Estate Planning in a Changed World By Share with a colleague Download PDF The year 2020 has been a difficult time for all of us. As our economy reopens and we begin our slow journey back to normal life, we wanted to reach out to let you know that the current environment provides a number of estate planning opportunities that may not last forever.First, if you are considering gifts to your loved ones, either outright or in trust, now is a good time to act. By using what is known as your “gift tax annual exclusion,” you can gift up to $15,000 each year to as many people as you want without reporting the gifts or paying gift tax. If you are married and choose to split gifts with your spouse, that amount increases to $30,000. In addition to this annual exclusion, you may now gift up to $11.58 million ($23.16 million for couples) during your lifetime free of tax. Gifting is a great idea in the current environment because depressed asset values allow you to pass assets to your loved ones at a significant discount. When the market rebounds, and the gifted assets rise in value, none of this appreciation will be included in your taxable estate.Second, now is an ideal time to consider the benefits of a grantor retained annuity trust, known in the estate planning world as a “GRAT.” A GRAT is a mechanism whereby a taxpayer transfers undervalued or highly appreciating assets to an irrevocable trust while retaining the right to receive annuity payments for a predetermined period of time. When the GRAT term ends, the trust assets, and any appreciation in value of the assets over and above the annuity’s interest rate, are passed to the beneficiaries free of gift taxes. GRATs established in down markets are generally sensible because the hurdle growth rate required to be surpassed in order to successfully transfer appreciation is much lower than in times of higher interest rates. The more that asset prices rebound during the GRAT term, the more tax-free appreciation will be passed to your loved ones.Today’s environment also lends itself to the possibility of refinancing existing intra-family loans at lower rates. It may also be possible to use “swap powers” in irrevocable trusts to exchange low-basis assets owned by the trusts for high-basis assets owned individually. This will maximize the step-up in basis allowed at death and thus minimize the capital gains taxes paid by your beneficiaries when they later sell the assets. Additionally, new rules on charitable contributions make this year a great time to give to your favorite charity. If taking advantage of these opportunities is of interest to you, we encourage you act before this window of opportunity closes. These techniques will become less attractive as the market rebounds. In addition, the political climate may shift as a result of the upcoming election, and several of the planning tools described in this article have been on the legislative chopping block for quite some time. Please feel free to reach out to us to discuss which planning opportunities may work best for you and your family.Lear more about the Schneider Downs Private Client Services practice. Share ### Insights OUR THOUGHTS ON 2020 Election from a Tax Perspective With the presidential election about two weeks away, we wanted to highlight President Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s… Read More > Estate Planning as a Tool for Your Business Succession Plan The year 2020 has been mired with uncertainty and unprecedented strife for many.As we reflect on the past six months… Read More > The Role of Data Analytics in Real Estate Data has always been collected, analyzed, and used by real estate professionals and investors to make informed decisions on purchasing… Read More > Internal Controls for Not-For-Profits The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Research Foundation studied the nature of internal controls in not-for-profit organizations and how those… Read More > The Redesigned IRS Form W-4 – What You Need to Know The old familiar IRS Form W-4 has a new look this year, thanks to a redesign by the IRS. The… Read More > New Optional Standard Mileage Rates for 2020 The IRS recently released the optional standard mileage rates for 2020, as follows: 57.5 cents for every mile of business… Read More > Estimated Tax Payment and Voucher Address Change as of July 1, 2020 Taxpayers should be aware that the IRS will be closing its Cincinnati and Hartford mailing addresses on July 1. This… Read More > View Archives IN THE SPOTLIGHT View Archives Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: Explore Schneider Downs news and resources. ### Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Estate planning is an ongoing and complex process that requires expertise and coordination. Schneider Downs is uniquely positioned with a diverse team of credentialed professionals, including CPAs, CFPs, LLMs, MBAs, JDs, and non-practicing attorneys who are committed to comprehensive service. From business entity succession planning to estate administration, Schneider Downs professionals can synthesize the most complex financial situations to develop an effective, customized, tax-efficient estate and succession plan. Services We Provide and Coordinate Include: Estate and Succession Planning Analyze Current Estate Planning Documents Calculate Death Taxes and Liquidity Gifting Design and Consultation Trust Design and Consultation Insurance Planning Family Tuition and Medical Plan Design Entity Succession Planning Compliance (Trust Returns, Gift Returns, Estate and Inheritance Tax Returns) Estate Administration Process Federal and State Death Tax Returns Estate and Fiduciary Income Tax Returns Estate and Trust Accountings Assist in gathering assets and determining distributions Death Tax Return Challenges Our team of estate planning professionals have a history of success in representing clients before the taxing authorities in the event of a death tax return challenge. Curious about the origin of the estate tax? Learn more in our History of the Estate Tax Infographic. Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. In furtherance of the estate planning services provided, it may be necessary to retain legal counsel. Tax and legacy planning services are offered through Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Investment and asset management services are provided through Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP. Each service may require you to sign a separate engagement agreement that will outline the services to be provided and the respective fees. Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: Preserving wealth within and between generations. ### Contact Us We want to hear from you. "*" indicates required fields Name* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE Excerpt: We welcome the opportunity to meet with you. ### SD Digital SD Digital Meet Our Team Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. SD Digital's mission is to help businesses discover the power of digital through strategic, efficient and attainable solutions. With a pioneering spirit and client-first mindset, we strive to de-risk, demystify and deliver outcome-focused, iterative solutions that translate technology into transformative change. Custom Development Custom Development Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. Organizations spend countless hours and… Data Analytics and Power BI Data Analytics and Power BI Solutions Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. Struggling… Digital Modernization Digital Modernization Reimagine How You Compete in the Digital World In today’s… Intelligent Automation Intelligent Automation Automate and Enhance Business Processes With Intelligent Automation Automation can… Microsoft Dynamics ERP Microsoft Dynamics ERP Solutions Implement, Integrate, and Optimize Dynamics 365 Business Central.… Power BI Enterprise Solutions Power BI Enterprise Solutions Unlock the Full Potential of Power BI Across… SD Digital LumenFI SD Digital LumenFi From Data to Decisions in Seconds with our AI-Powered… SD inSITE SD inSITE by SD Digital is an employee time-tracking software using a… simpLEASE Accounting simpLEASE Accounting Lease Accounting Software Built by Accountants for Accountants Navigating the… Solver Extended Financial Planning & Analysis Solver Extended Financial Planning and Analysis Accelerate better business decisions with Solver's… Problems We Solve Impactful change starts with identifiable problems. Business is Growing. Operations Can’t Keep Up.   One of the most common problems for businesses is scaling existing systems and processes to keep pace with future growth and goals. Our experienced team delivers the digital infrastructure, automation and centralized business intelligence to mobilize and deliver impactful solutions at the speed of your business.Our Solution: Digital Modernization  Manual Processes. Manual Problems.  A regular challenge our team encounters is an organization that relies on too many manual processes that ultimately put a strain on human capital. Our team helps clients evaluate, adopt and implement RPA and AI technology that digitize manual mundane tasks and allow talent to focus on higher-value activities.Our Solution: Intelligent Automation  Data Rich. Information Poor. Up to your neck in unusable, inaccurate or siloed data sets? Unfortunately, this is a common hurdle for organizations of all sizes. Our data analytics team delivers descriptive, predictive and prescriptive solutions that help transform your unworkable data into accessible and actionable business insights.Our Solution: Data Analytics  Robust Business. Outdated ERP. ERP software systems are the digital lifeblood of an organization. As a licensed Microsoft Dynamics partner, our team can help you identify, configure and implement the best ERP solution for your core business processes and customer experiences.Our Solution: Microsoft Dynamics ERP Solutions Big Thinking. Personal Software. Our team offers several cloud and IT solutions for accounting, fixed assets, distribution, automated workforce management, human resources and payroll needs, including our award winning simpLEASE lease accounting and SD inSITE workforce management tool.Our Solution: Software Solutions Custom Needs. Custom Solutions.  Our team understands every organization is built differently. Luckily, so are we. SD Digital specializes in custom development for Microsoft Dynamics and Automation Anywhere but can also deliver transformative results for other third-party and proprietary software solutions.Our Solution: Custom Development One of the most common problems for businesses is scaling existing systems and processes to keep pace with future growth and goals. Our experienced team delivers the digital infrastructure, automation and centralized business intelligence to mobilize and deliver impactful solutions at the speed of your business.Our Solution: Digital Modernization A regular challenge our team encounters is an organization that relies on too many manual processes that ultimately put a strain on human capital. Our team helps clients evaluate, adopt and implement RPA and AI technology that digitize manual mundane tasks and allow talent to focus on higher-value activities.Our Solution: Intelligent Automation Up to your neck in unusable, inaccurate or siloed data sets? Unfortunately, this is a common hurdle for organizations of all sizes. Our data analytics team delivers descriptive, predictive and prescriptive solutions that help transform your unworkable data into accessible and actionable business insights.Our Solution: Data Analytics ERP software systems are the digital lifeblood of an organization. As a licensed Microsoft Dynamics partner, our team can help you identify, configure and implement the best ERP solution for your core business processes and customer experiences.Our Solution: Microsoft Dynamics ERP SolutionsOur team offers several cloud and IT solutions for accounting, fixed assets, distribution, automated workforce management, human resources and payroll needs, including our award winning simpLEASE lease accounting and SD inSITE workforce management tool.Our Solution: Software SolutionsOur team understands every organization is built differently. Luckily, so are we. SD Digital specializes in custom development for Microsoft Dynamics and Automation Anywhere but can also deliver transformative results for other third-party and proprietary software solutions.Our Solution: Custom Development Ready to Start Your Digital Journey? Contact Us Investing in digital is not just a requirement for relevance but a race against market obsolescence. There is a bleak future facing organizations that view the status quo as their final state, from financial impacts and attrition to a decline in market share. Surprisingly, 84% of companies consider their digital journey a failure, despite IT spending nearly $1.4 trillion worldwide.In our experience, a lack of digital success stems from a lack of digital literacy required to effectively implement change. https://youtu.be/yRHB2BBf8gk Our Digital Values Our digital innovators are guided by a set of client-focused values to help organizations discover their digital potential by redefining boundaries through innovative possibilities. Eye on the Prize We understand the complexity and speed of business today, which is why we approach each digital journey with an unrelenting focus on successful outcomes for our clients. Progress over Perfection We deliver an iterative roadmap that celebrates milestones, learns from roadblocks and prioritizes continuous progress toward client objectives. Courage to be Candid Change can be challenging, which is why we promise to respectfully challenge the status quo, present our authentic thoughts and facilitate tough conversations, all in the pursuit of the possible. Real-world Experience With a robust firm of 500+ professionals, we have the business expertise and digital mindset to provide end-to-end solutions that account for industry, regulatory and financial considerations. Hardwired Empathy We approach each engagement through the eyes of the business leaders and stakeholders to design, strategize, develop and implement solutions built with the mind of our clients. Sustainable Speed With our unique combination of digital expertise and business experience, we can mobilize and deliver impactful solutions at the speed of business. Learn More About SD Digital OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Recovery & Remediation Recovery & Remediation Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. PRIMARY CONTACT: Carl N. Kriebel CISSP Recovery and remediation is also a major component of the Schneider Downs Incident Response process. Our team has the experience to help you recover from major disruptions to your IT systems. Form and identify the remediation team Determine the timing and extent of remediation activities needed Develop and implement remediation posturing actionauring the incident (password resets, two-factor deployments, etc.) Develop and implement eradication action plan Develop strategic recommendations for safe recovery Document and report on lessons learned Learn more about our Incident Response Process INCIDENT RESPONSE RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Penetration Testing Network Penetration Testing Understand Your Cybersecurity Gaps and Strengthen Resilience Our network penetration testing services are designed to assess your organization’s security by simulating real-world cyberattacks, such as phishing and ransomware, using the same tools and techniques employed by threat actors. This testing helps you gain a comprehensive understanding of your cybersecurity strengths, weaknesses, and priorities.As an impartial third party, we identify critical vulnerabilities across both internal and external networks. Our tests also evaluate whether these vulnerabilities are exploitable, providing a clear picture of the actual risks they pose to your IT security posture.Getting Started with Network Penetration TestingIf you're new to network penetration testing, simply complete our penetration questionnaire, and a member of our team will reach out to assist you in the next steps. What to Expect from Network Penetration Testing Services Access top-tier cybersecurity experts to protect your systems.Boost end-user security awareness to reduce threats.Confirm critical security controls are effective in real time.Empower your IT team with hands-on security training.Get continuous support and education to stay ahead.Receive a customized action plan to enhance security.Strengthen defenses against cyberattacks with immediate improvements. How Network Penetration Testing Works The Schneider Downs cybersecurity team offers comprehensive, tailored network penetration testing to strengthen your security posture. We stay ahead of evolving cyber threats, uncovering current vulnerabilities and predicting future risks. Our scenario-based testing provides actionable insights that help you make informed security decisions. Our approach includes:Continuous Threat Alignment: We adapt our testing methods to stay ahead of evolving threats.Strategic Insights: Gain long-term strategic insights to improve your overall security posture.Tactical Recommendations: We provide actionable, tactical recommendations to immediately address vulnerabilities.Why Choose Schneider Downs?Accurate Risk DiagnosisOur detailed reports provide clear, actionable insights into your actual risks, helping you prioritize remediation efforts.Comprehensive Risk AssessmentWe identify both known and unknown risks, offering continuous partnership and support beyond the initial testing engagement.Hacker MentalityWe simulate attacks with the mindset of a real-world cybercriminal, ensuring our tactics closely mirror actual threats.Proven ExpertiseOur team combines deep technical expertise with real-world experience across various industries.Tailored SolutionsEvery engagement is customized to reflect your organization’s unique risks, resources, and industry needs.Ready to get started? Contact the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com or download our service overview for more information. Additional Penetration Testing Solutions In addition to network penetration testing, our team also offers:API Security TestingCloud Security TestingPhysical Penetration TestingWeb Application Testing (WAPT)Wireless Network Testing About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including network penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security and vulnerability assessments, as well as a robust digital forensics and incident response team. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/cybersecurity.Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Data Privacy Services: Privacy Regulations and Compliance Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. With the ever-evolving data privacy landscape and a growing number of state and international privacy laws, it can be very cumbersome to identify which of these apply to your organization and furthermore how your organization must comply. Dependent on your organization’s business model, industry and many other factors, you will likely need to comply with at least one and potentially more of the data privacy regulations listed below, which is not an exhaustive list. We have helped organizations across industries, both domestically and globally, to both prepare for and achieve compliance with these data privacy regulations:The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)The GDPR is the toughest privacy and security law in the world. Though it was drafted and passed by the European Union (EU), it imposes obligations onto organizations anywhere, so long as they target or collect data related to people in the EU. The regulation was put into effect on May 25, 2018 to protect and empower all EU citizens with respect to data privacy, reshaping the way organizations across the globe approach data privacy. The GDPR can levy harsh fines against those who violate its privacy and security standards, with penalties equivalent to the greater of  €20m or 4% of total revenue.California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)In November 2020, over 9.3 million Californians voted to approve the CPRA of 2020 with the passage of Proposition 24. The CPRA is the strongest consumer privacy law ever enacted in the United States and achieves broad general parity with the most comprehensive laws in other jurisdictions including the GDPR.CPRA builds on existing California law passed in 2018 (the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) and applies to personal information collected after January 1, 2022 which will be enforced January 1, 2023. CPRA builds upon CCPA, in a number of ways:Sensitive data: New definition, limits on use and sharingNew enforcement agency: California Privacy Protection AgencyExpanded breach liabilityRequired audits and risk assessments for high-risk processingRestrictions on automated decision-making and profilingConsumer data correctionStrengthened opt-in rights for children’s dataNecessity-based limitations for data retentionNew obligations for service providersCalifornia Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)The CCPA gives consumers more control over the personal information that businesses collect about them. This law secures new privacy rights for California consumers, includingThe right to know about the personal information a business collects, how it is used and shared;The right-to-delete personal information collected;The right-to-opt-out of the sale of their personal information; andThe right-to-non-discrimination for exercising their CCPA rights.The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)HIPAA was developed to protect the privacy and security of certain health information. To fulfill this requirement, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) published the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. The Privacy Rule establishes national standards for the protection of certain health information.The Security Rule establishes a national set of security standards for protecting certain health information that is held or transferred in electronic form. The Security Rule operationalized the protections contained in the Privacy Rule by addressing the technical and non-technical safeguards that organizations called “covered entities” must put in place to secure individuals “electronically protected health information” (e-PHI).The Privacy Rule is to protect the privacy of individuals’ health information while allowing covered entities to adopt new technologies to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care. Given that the health care marketplace is diverse, the Security Rule is designed to be flexible and scalable so a covered entity can implement policies, procedures, and technologies that are appropriate for the entity’s particular size, organizational structure, and risks to consumers’ e-PHI. Within HHS, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has responsibility for enforcing the Privacy and Security Rules with voluntary compliance activities and civil money penalties.Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)The GLBA is a Federal law, known as the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, which applies to financial institutions, including higher-education institutions. The intent of GLBA is to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of customer information, where customer information is any record containing non-public personal information…about a customer of a financial institution, whether in paper, electronic, or other forms that are handled or maintained by or on behalf of the institution.Additional Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesBusiness Process and Data FlowA critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Learn MoreData Privacy Control AssessmentRegardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. Learn MoreData Protection Impact Assessment A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. Learn MoreNIST Privacy Framework ComplianceThe NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. Learn MorePrivacy by DesignOur approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture.  Learn MoreAbout Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesAt Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance.Learn more about Schneider Downs Data Privacy Services or contact us for more information. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Employers' Guide to the New ACA Reporting Requirements Employers' Guide to the New ACA Reporting Requirements "*" indicates required fields Please fill out the following form in order to download the whitepaper.Name Email address* Company Phone numberEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Eight Common Schemes Eight Common Schemes Thank you for your interest.  You may download a copy of "Eight Commonly Identified Fraud Schemes." If you have any questions about the content or would like more information, please contact us.  ### Emerging Technology FAQs Emerging Technology FAQs Schneider Downs takes great pride in answering relevant questions surrounding startup and mature emerging technology companies.Startup Companies  |  Mature Companies   Startup Companies ARE THERE ANY TAX BENEFITS FOR AN EARLY-STAGE STARTUP COMPANY? Yes. If your company engages in research in development activities, which many technology-focused startups do, you may qualify for a research and development (R&D) tax credit.Related Articles:Five Tax Considerations for Start-up CompaniesSection 174 Expensing Restored Under OBBB—A Win for R&D-Driven Businesses CAN MY COMPANY BENEFIT FROM AN R&D CREDIT IF IT IS LOSING MONEY? Yes. Early-stage companies, which generate less than $5M in gross receipts, may qualify to use their R&D tax credit to offset payroll taxes irrespective of their profit or loss.Related Article:Emerging Technology Companies and the R&D Tax Credit WHAT ACCOUNTING SERVICES CAN WE OUTSOURCE? Your company can outsource accounting services including but not limited to:Outsourced CFO and controller servicesFull source of accounting functions which can include bookkeeping, month end close assistance and reporting and moreBudget analysis and projectionsValuation services Related Article:Value of Outsourced Accounting Services DO I NEED TO HAVE A VALUATION DONE IF I HAVE A RECENT EQUITY RAISE? A best practice is to have a valuation done when equity is issued to employees and when there is a large capital raise.Related Article:Valuation Article About Schneider Downs Technology AdvisorsOur consultants combine practical business experience with up-to-date technical options to implement cost-effective solutions for our clients. Our association with industry-leading technology companies provides our clients with the latest industry-specific, low-risk and proven solutions. Through vendor certification programs, advanced education and industry conferences, our consultants are trained and certified on the latest products and services. Our consultants bring a variety of experiences, technical knowledge and industry certifications to our clients, providing an ongoing and effective partnership.Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/adapt or contact us to get started today. SHOULD WE IMPLEMENT A CERTAIN TYPE OF SOFTWARE? There are a lot of systems that emerging technology clients use. One software that should be implemented is an equity management system to house all equity agreements, maintain vesting schedules and calculate compensation expense.Related Article:5 Essential Software Considerations for Startups Yes. If your company engages in research in development activities, which many technology-focused startups do, you may qualify for a research and development (R&D) tax credit.Related Articles:Five Tax Considerations for Start-up CompaniesSection 174 Expensing Restored Under OBBB—A Win for R&D-Driven BusinessesYes. Early-stage companies, which generate less than $5M in gross receipts, may qualify to use their R&D tax credit to offset payroll taxes irrespective of their profit or loss.Related Article:Emerging Technology Companies and the R&D Tax CreditYour company can outsource accounting services including but not limited to:Outsourced CFO and controller servicesFull source of accounting functions which can include bookkeeping, month end close assistance and reporting and moreBudget analysis and projectionsValuation services Related Article:Value of Outsourced Accounting ServicesA best practice is to have a valuation done when equity is issued to employees and when there is a large capital raise.Related Article:Valuation ArticleAbout Schneider Downs Technology AdvisorsOur consultants combine practical business experience with up-to-date technical options to implement cost-effective solutions for our clients. Our association with industry-leading technology companies provides our clients with the latest industry-specific, low-risk and proven solutions. Through vendor certification programs, advanced education and industry conferences, our consultants are trained and certified on the latest products and services. Our consultants bring a variety of experiences, technical knowledge and industry certifications to our clients, providing an ongoing and effective partnership.Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/adapt or contact us to get started today.There are a lot of systems that emerging technology clients use. One software that should be implemented is an equity management system to house all equity agreements, maintain vesting schedules and calculate compensation expense.Related Article:5 Essential Software Considerations for Startups Mature Companies IS MY BEST OPTION FOR AN EXIT AN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING (IPO)? We get this question a lot from early-stage companies or we hear from owners that their plan is to exit via IPO. The reality is that very few early-stage companies go through an IPO as their initial exit. In a lot of cases, a more compelling exit presents itself prior to the opportunity to do an IPO. However, if you are considering an IPO there are a lot of complex, costly and time consuming, regulatory, reporting and legal requirements that must be considered prior to going this route.Related Article:IPO Article WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON ISSUES ENCOUNTERED WHEN A SOFTWARE COMPANY IS GOING THROUGH BUY SIDE OR SALE SIDE DUE DILIGENCE? The most common issues seen in the due diligence process relate to data security, IP ownership, regulatory compliance and contract obligations with customers.Related Articles:Common Issues Encountered During Buy-Side Due Diligence in Software CompaniesKey Strategies for Navigating Sell-Side Due Diligence in Software Companies WHAT ACCOUNTING ADVISORY SERVICES DO WE OFFER? Schneider Downs’ Accounting Advisory group can assist an organization with any accounting issues, such as:Equity accounting for stock options, stock warrants, stock appreciation rights, profit interests, debt vs equity considerations, or convertible debtRevenue recognition under ASC 606Capitalized software cost accountingLease accounting under ASC 842Valuation of intangible assetsRelated Article:Accounting Advisory Services Article WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COMPILATION, REVIEW, AND AUDIT? Schneider Downs offers three types of assurance services: compilations, reviews, and audits.A compilation involves organizing client data into a financial statement format but does not offer any sort of assurance.A review involves limited assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatements and involves inquiry and analysis. An audit is the highest level of assurance service we provide. In an audit engagement, we obtain evidence through testing and inquiry to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement.Related Article:Compilation, Review, and Audit Article DO I HAVE STATE AND LOCAL TAX OBLIGATIONS IN MULTIPLE STATES? State tax nexus can established by having remote employees in a state, having physical traditional offices in multiple states, or by exceeding a state’s economic nexus threshold which is generally an amount of sales to customers in a particular state.  Remote employees can create payroll tax obligations as well as income or sales tax filing obligations; while economic nexus is generally used for sales tax or income tax obligations.Related Article:State Tax Considerations in a Remote Environment ARE MY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES SUBJECT TO SALES TAX OR GROSS RECEIPTS TAXES IN STATES OTHER THAN MY HOME STATE? States have varying rules of what is considered tax in the technology industry that are dependent on the types of services being offered.Related Article:Digital Products and Services Tax Unclear We get this question a lot from early-stage companies or we hear from owners that their plan is to exit via IPO. The reality is that very few early-stage companies go through an IPO as their initial exit. In a lot of cases, a more compelling exit presents itself prior to the opportunity to do an IPO. However, if you are considering an IPO there are a lot of complex, costly and time consuming, regulatory, reporting and legal requirements that must be considered prior to going this route.Related Article:IPO ArticleThe most common issues seen in the due diligence process relate to data security, IP ownership, regulatory compliance and contract obligations with customers.Related Articles:Common Issues Encountered During Buy-Side Due Diligence in Software CompaniesKey Strategies for Navigating Sell-Side Due Diligence in Software CompaniesSchneider Downs’ Accounting Advisory group can assist an organization with any accounting issues, such as:Equity accounting for stock options, stock warrants, stock appreciation rights, profit interests, debt vs equity considerations, or convertible debtRevenue recognition under ASC 606Capitalized software cost accountingLease accounting under ASC 842Valuation of intangible assetsRelated Article:Accounting Advisory Services ArticleSchneider Downs offers three types of assurance services: compilations, reviews, and audits.A compilation involves organizing client data into a financial statement format but does not offer any sort of assurance.A review involves limited assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatements and involves inquiry and analysis. An audit is the highest level of assurance service we provide. In an audit engagement, we obtain evidence through testing and inquiry to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement.Related Article:Compilation, Review, and Audit ArticleState tax nexus can established by having remote employees in a state, having physical traditional offices in multiple states, or by exceeding a state’s economic nexus threshold which is generally an amount of sales to customers in a particular state.  Remote employees can create payroll tax obligations as well as income or sales tax filing obligations; while economic nexus is generally used for sales tax or income tax obligations.Related Article:State Tax Considerations in a Remote EnvironmentStates have varying rules of what is considered tax in the technology industry that are dependent on the types of services being offered.Related Article:Digital Products and Services Tax Unclear SOC WHAT IS A SOC REPORT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR GROWING COMPANIES? Your clients and prospects want assurance that their data and transactions are handled with integrity. A System and Organization Controls (SOC) report provides the transparency and trust needed to demonstrate your commitment to strong controls and processes.  In a SOC report, auditors trained in IT controls evaluate your systems and process by inspecting evidence and documentation to verify controls are in place.  The auditors produce a formal report that can be shared with clients, prospects, regulators and other interested parties about their procedures and results of testing.Related Articles:Getting Started with SOC 2 ReportsSOC 2 – What is ACTUALLY Required? HOW CAN A SOC 2 HELP A STARTUP? Startups are often trying to sell services to larger organizations.  These types of organizations often have implemented third party risk management (TPRM) programs that require them to perform monitoring of their own vendors, particularly if the vendor receives what the organization considers sensitive data.  As part of the sales cycle an organization may ask you to provide a SOC report to demonstrate you have appropriate process to protect their data.  A SOC report completed by an independent third-party provides your customers and prospects assurance you are doing the right things.  It also provides your company assurance that there are no gaps in the internal controls tested by the auditor.Related Articles:Getting Started with SOC 2 ReportsSOC 2 – What is ACTUALLY Required?SOC 2 Type 1 Before Type 2What Should You Consider When Determining a SOC Report Testing Period?Five Questions to Assist with Identifying SOC Report Scope HOW DO I REVIEW A SOC REPORT PROVIDED BY A VENDOR? If you use a cloud hosting provider like AWS, Azure or GCP or other vendors to support key operations you will need to complete due diligence activities over the vendor to make sure they are maintain an appropriate internal control environment to protect your data and ensure continuity of services.  Typically a SOC report is used to facilitate this process.  SOC reports have a certain format that can ease the review process but requires some background.  If your company has your own SOC report, your auditors will ask for evidence of your review.Related Article:How to Review a Vendor’s SOC Report? Your clients and prospects want assurance that their data and transactions are handled with integrity. A System and Organization Controls (SOC) report provides the transparency and trust needed to demonstrate your commitment to strong controls and processes.  In a SOC report, auditors trained in IT controls evaluate your systems and process by inspecting evidence and documentation to verify controls are in place.  The auditors produce a formal report that can be shared with clients, prospects, regulators and other interested parties about their procedures and results of testing.Related Articles:Getting Started with SOC 2 ReportsSOC 2 – What is ACTUALLY Required?Startups are often trying to sell services to larger organizations.  These types of organizations often have implemented third party risk management (TPRM) programs that require them to perform monitoring of their own vendors, particularly if the vendor receives what the organization considers sensitive data.  As part of the sales cycle an organization may ask you to provide a SOC report to demonstrate you have appropriate process to protect their data.  A SOC report completed by an independent third-party provides your customers and prospects assurance you are doing the right things.  It also provides your company assurance that there are no gaps in the internal controls tested by the auditor.Related Articles:Getting Started with SOC 2 ReportsSOC 2 – What is ACTUALLY Required?SOC 2 Type 1 Before Type 2What Should You Consider When Determining a SOC Report Testing Period?Five Questions to Assist with Identifying SOC Report ScopeIf you use a cloud hosting provider like AWS, Azure or GCP or other vendors to support key operations you will need to complete due diligence activities over the vendor to make sure they are maintain an appropriate internal control environment to protect your data and ensure continuity of services.  Typically a SOC report is used to facilitate this process.  SOC reports have a certain format that can ease the review process but requires some background.  If your company has your own SOC report, your auditors will ask for evidence of your review.Related Article:How to Review a Vendor's SOC Report?Don't See Your Question?Ask Our Experts. About Schneider Downs Emerging Technology Services Schneider Downs understands the ever-changing landscape and business challenges facing companies focused on emerging technologies and software. Our clients represent a wide range of organizations, from emerging growth companies to large mature companies, and we are well-versed in the unique challenges they face. Our team of seasoned professionals has experience working with emerging technology companies in all phases of their evolution.  To learn more, visit our Emerging Technology page. ### Exit and Succession Planning Scenarios Exit and Succession Planning Scenarios Exit and succession planning is one of the most important strategies you will need to implement throughout the life of your business, and whether you are ready to start today or in 10 years, it’s never too early to begin the discussions.The Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team understand that every engagement is unique with each client having specific goals, objectives and needs based on their individual circumstances. Below are sample client profiles illustrating the different scenarios that can benefit from exit and succession planning services.  Meet David A Successful Business Founder and Owner Ready to Retire Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold?" Meet Darren A Serial Entrepreneur Looking for His Next Adventure How can I learn more about the due diligence process to ensure my company’s value is represented accurately?" Meet ABC Technologies A Successful Start-Up Technology Company Confronting Business Challenges and Needs  How can we grow the business without losing control or sight of our mission?" Meet The Hawthornes A Successful Family Business CEO Ready to Transition to the Next Generation Are my children capable to run the business? Do they even want to?" Meet Lisa A Female Business Owner of a Construction Company Who can lead the company when I leave? Is there family or a current leader that can carry it forward, or is a direct sale better?" Meet NP Consulting A Professional Services Firm Interested in Becoming an ESOP Does an ESOP make sense compared to individuals separately owning shares?" Meet Sasha A Successful Female Business Owner Growing Her Business How can I find and attract the right talent to help my company grow and increase in value?" Meet The Lins A Family-Owned Business Coming to an End What if we can’t find a buyer?"Whether you are unsure of your next steps, are looking at a buyer, private equity or public offering or thinking of transitioning to family, key management, gifting to individuals or trusts, or considering an ESOP, Schneider Downs will listen, understand, create, manage and fully execute your exit and succession plan.If you would like to speak to a member of the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team, please contact us directly at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners.To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.  ### A Successful Female Business Owner Growing Her Business MEET SASHA How can I find and attract the right talent to help my company grow and increase in value?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Cash Flow Planning / Financial Modeling Evaluation of Key Business Drivers and Process Review Long Term Charitable Planning Retirement Planning Tax Credits and Incentives Consulting How can I find and attract the right talent to help my company grow and increase in value?" A Successful Female Business Owner Growing Her Business Sasha is a millennial minority business owner with a future full of plans. Her most recent venture has grown into a successful business and, as soon as she’s not too busy running it, she’s looking to start another one. Sasha is very purpose-driven—her ultimate goal is to have a positive impact on her community. However, she’s no idealist. Before she makes her next move, she wants to make sure she has a plan for growing through the multiple life stages, building transferable value in her business and staying ahead of her competitors. Key Business and Operational Questions How can I have my business processes reviewed to manage risk effectively?How can I maximize minority owner designations to make the business more competitive and financially sound?What makes my business valuable in the eyes of investors and potential buyers?What opportunities exist within the business that I am not aware of? Key Financial Considerations and Questions Am I taking full advantage of federal and state tax credits and incentives?Can I offer a retirement or non-qualified compensation plan to help attract talent?How much is my company worth?Is my current financial model sustainable?Will growing the business help or hurt my personal retirement goals? Recommended Services Business Valuation Cash Flow Planning / Financial Modeling Evaluation of Key Business Drivers and Process Review Long Term Charitable Planning Retirement Planning Tax Credits and Incentives Consulting Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### Successful Start-Up Technology Company Confronting Business Challenges MEET ABC TECHNOLOGIES How can we grow the business without losing control or sight of our mission?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Employee Compensation and Equity Awards Managed Accounting Services / Fractional CFO Services Pre-diligence Review / Business Process Review Tax and Business Structure Analysis How can we grow the business without losing control or sight of our mission?" A Successful Start-Up Technology Company Confronting Business Challenges and Needs ABC Technologies is the brainchild of a group of enterprising software engineers who put their heads together to create what has become a rapidly growing startup. The company has made it through two rounds of private equity investment already, and its success is largely a result of the innovative ideas, enthusiastic energy and long hours invested by the founders.However, while these engineers are pioneers in the technology space, the business space (accounting, compliance, management, taxes) is unknown territory for them. As this is the first business any of them have owned, they’re looking for guidance on how to run it.Additionally, as ABC Technologies continues its rapid pace of growth, it’s becoming necessary to consider next steps. The owners know they want to stay involved, but do they want to aim for expansion, acquisition or more funding? Key Business and Operational Questions How can we grow the business without losing control or sight of our mission?How do we maintain or grow our position in the market?What leadership positions/executive functions does our business need to succeed? What pace do we want to grow at? Are we growing too fast right now or not fast enough? Will a business advisor understand the value of our company? Key Financial Considerations and Questions Do we have the best legal structure for a potential sale or a partial sale to private equity?Do we need additional funding? If so, how do we start another round of funding?How can we get liquidity into our current venture without significant dilution of our current ownership?What is the best retirement plan or non-qualified deferred comp plan that we can offer to potential employees to attract and retain talent? Recommended Services Business Valuation Employee Compensation and Equity Awards Managed Accounting Services / Fractional CFO Services Pre-diligence Review / Business Process Review Tax and Business Structure Analysis Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### A Female Business Owner of a Construction Company Looking for Exit Options MEET LISA Who can lead the company when I leave? Is there family or a current leader that can carry it forward, or is a direct sale better?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Evaluation of Key Business Drivers and Improvement Plan Management Team Evaluation / Leadership Transition Outsource CFO Services Personal Cash Flow Analysis Retirement Planning Who can lead the company when I leave? Is there family or a current leader that can carry it forward, or is a direct sale better?" A Female Business Owner of a Construction Company Looking for Exit Options Lisa’s construction company is part of the family, having been with them for two generations. And the company is in a good spot—it’s currently thriving and, as a certified woman-owned business, it has a preferential position when it comes to bidding on work.Additionally, Lisa herself is recognized as a regional leader and is well-respected among her peers in the construction community. With over 10 years before retirement, she is showing no signs of slowing down.But since this company is so important to her, she’s already starting to think about next steps for both her business and her family. She realizes the importance of continuing to add value to her company as it evolves. Key Business and Operational Questions Who can lead the company when I leave? Is there family or a current leader that can carry it forward, or is a direct sale better?What kind of seller do I want, would I sell to a competitor or national buyer?Can the next owner retain the certified women owned business designation?How do I value my business contacts and referral sources? How can I start diversifying my management and executive roster now to setup for long-term success? Key Financial Considerations and Questions Do I have enough to retire and how will selling my business increase my portfolio/worth?How can I increase the value of the company over the next 3, 5 and 10 years?How do I know what my company is worth today and ten years from now?How do I position my company to be attractive to buyers, and how will I know if the offer is fair?What would it look like if I sold the majority and kept some equity? Is this an option? Recommended Services Business Valuation Evaluation of Key Business Drivers and Improvement Plan Management Team Evaluation / Leadership Transition Outsource CFO Services Personal Cash Flow Analysis Retirement Planning Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### Family-Owned Business Coming to an End MEET THE LINS What if we can’t find a buyer?" Recommended Services Investment Banking / Business Brokerage Deal Structure Multi-generational Estate Planning Wealth Management Tax Consulting Business Valuation What if we can’t find a buyer?" A Family-Owned Business Coming to an End The Lins have owned their family services business for generations. This close-knit family takes pride in their family name, as well as in the legacy of their company. However, the next generation of Lins isn’t going to take over the company, and retirement age is quickly approaching the current generation. The Lins are now faced with the reality of preparing for non-family transition options. As much as their business feels like part of the family, they are considering selling to a private buyer to ensure the continued future of their family and their legacy. Key Business and Operational Questions What is the timeline and considerations for the current generation to exit?Will our family name be part of the sale if we sell to private buyers?Will customers still want to buy from us if we sell or transition to other family members? What do we need to do to effectively plan for our estate and ensure our children are taken care of? Key Financial Considerations and Questions How do we know if we have a fair offer?If we can’t find a buyer, do we explore the possibility of simply closing? If so, how do we maximize the value?What are my options for receiving sale proceeds?What do I do with the proceeds after the sale?What tax needs will I have if the company sells? Recommended Services Investment Banking / Business Brokerage Deal Structure Multi-generational Estate Planning Wealth Management Tax Consulting Business Valuation Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### A Successful Family Business CEO Ready to Transition to the Next Generation THE HAWTHORNES Are my children capable to run the business? Do they even want to?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Compensation Studies Family / Leadership Transition Personal Wealth Gap Analysis Succession Advisory Transactional Tax Planning Are my children capable to run the business? Do they even want to?" A Successful Family Business CEO Ready to Transition to the Next Generation John Hawthornes is the CEO of a successful family business, at which his children serve on the board and in key executive roles. Now that his children are grown and he is growing closer to retirement, John is considering who should take charge after he retires. Though they haven’t brought it up with him yet, his children are thinking along the same lines, and each of them envisions a different future for the company. John is proud of his children, and he is leaning towards passing the torch to them. However, he also wants what’s best for the company, and would therefore like to explore all his options, including selling outright or naming a non-family member as CEO, before he makes his final decision. Key Business and Operational Questions Are my children capable to run the business? Do they even want to?What if I want to name a non-family member as my replacement? Where and when do I start the process?How do I value my business contacts and referral sources? Who will take over? What will the other roles be for the children not named CEO? Key Financial Considerations and Questions How do I maximize the company value and get my wealth out of the transition?How is compensation evaluated for the successor?How will the transition decision/announcement impact the company value?What are the tax/legal implications/requirements?Will my kids be comfortable with the company valuation and my retirement package/benefits? Recommended Services Business Valuation Compensation Studies Family / Leadership Transition Personal Wealth Gap Analysis Succession Advisory Transactional Tax Planning Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### Serial Entrepreneur Looking for His Next Adventure MEET DARREN How can I learn more about the due diligence process to ensure my company’s value is represented accurately?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Deal Structure Investment Banking / Business Brokerage Seller Due Diligence Value Growth / Acceleration Wealth Management How can I learn more about the due diligence process to ensure my company’s value is represented accurately?" A Serial Entrepreneur Looking for His Next Adventure Darren is a private equity partner in his mid-to-late 30’s. As a serial entrepreneur, his early career has been a nonstop succession of building and exiting successful companies, primarily in the technology space. While Darren has no plans to halt this momentum, he wants to be more strategic in the future. He’s focused on growing his existing business in the near-term, and he wants this next exit to leave nothing on the table. He’s exited businesses countless times before, but he’s unsure if he truly maximized his value. Key Business and Operational Questions What do I need to do to prepare for this exit?What is my next venture, how can I use my current one to get me there?What is the process to attract the best potential buyers?What specialized tax structures are available to me to help with equity if I decide to stay partially invested in the company? Key Financial Considerations and Questions How much is my company worth?Is my current financial model sustainable?How will I manage my personal wealth?What does my sell model look like?How does a sale impact my portfolio and worth? Recommended Services Business Valuation Deal Structure Investment Banking / Business Brokerage Seller Due Diligence Value Growth / Acceleration Wealth Management Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### A Successful Business Founder and Owner Ready to Retire MEET DAVID Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Employee Equity Award Evaluation of Exit Options Process Improvement / Business Value Driver Optimization Tax Minimization and Wealth Management Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold?" A Successful Business Founder and Owner Ready to Retire When David was in his early 30s, he started his own company. Now that he’s been at the helm of a thriving organization for several years, David is very proud of what he has built. However, as he nears retirement age, he’s beginning to wonder how his company will continue to thrive with someone else in charge. While he values his associates, there’s no one internally that he feels would be quite right for the job, and his children are busy pursuing their own dreams. Therefore, David is looking for the right buyer—one that will treat the clients he’s spent years building relationships with as well as he does. Key Business and Operational Questions Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold? Do I want to have a role after selling? If so, what does that look like?How can I ensure my employees are taken care of when I leave?How do I bring on partners without losing control as I transition out?What is my legacy? Key Financial Considerations and Questions Do I have a fair offer?What are the personal and business tax implications of selling?What do I need to do to prepare for the sale and how long does the process take?What is my company worth and how do I maximize the value of the market?When is the best time to sell? Recommended Services Business Valuation Employee Equity Award Evaluation of Exit Options Process Improvement / Business Value Driver Optimization Tax Minimization and Wealth Management Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### Microsoft Office 365 Security Assessment It is critical for organizations to have network intrusion detection (IDS) and prevention (IPS) devices functioning properly in order to alert and respond to potential network security events. Many organizations spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on network security recording and alerting devices, but do not have the capabilities or resources to properly configure and analyze the alerts from these devices; thus, this data becomes more of an organizational liability than an asset.In helping our clients review their IDS/IPS systems, we assist with the testing, tuning, and monitoring processes. We work with a variety of products and recommend solutions that best meet our clients’ needs. Interview Management to scope the analysisReview and scan MS Exchange policies and configurations for vulnerabilitiesReview and validate findings and refine configuration to re-scan as necessary; write reportReport, review, and knowledge transfer View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Intrusion Prevention / Detection Review Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. It is critical for organizations to have network intrusion detection (IDS) and prevention (IPS) devices functioning properly in order to alert and respond to potential network security events. Many organizations spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on network security recording and alerting devices, but do not have the capabilities or resources to properly configure and analyze the alerts from these devices; thus, this data becomes more of an organizational liability than an asset.In helping our clients review their IDS/IPS systems, we assist with the testing, tuning, and monitoring processes. We work with a variety of products and recommend solutions that best meet our clients’ needs.Our ProcessInterview Management and scope the IDS/IPS services desiredReview existing network IDS/IPS systems and configurationWrite report of recommendations and/or findings to meet Management’s requirementsReport, review, and knowledge transfer of findings About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Information Security Program Maturity Assessments Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. The Schneider Downs maturity assessment evaluates your security program against industry best practices. Our maturity assessments take a holistic approach to gauging an enterprises security program, utilizing industry best practices and frameworks. A maturity assessment will provide management with the information necessary to understand the risks and maturity of its information security program.Our ProcessInterview management and security management and gather security data, policies, and proceduresConduct network reviews and scans as well as review logsReview findings with security and management to reach consensusIssue information security maturity report About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Indicator of Compromise Assessment Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Our indicator of compromise assessment utilizes our extensive experience within cybersecurity to identify potential malicious compromise signatures that may already exist within your network and systems. This allows us to give you key insights into your environment to assess whether your organization may have already been the victim of a cyberattack.Our team employs a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity and proactive incident response services that are part of our overall strategy to secure our clients’ networks and key systems. Below are some of the checks that are provided with an indicator of compromise (IOC) assessment:Antivirus log analysisNetwork device log analysisWeb filter log analysisWindows event log analysis from key servers or endpointsForensic artifacts review of critical Windows systemsCloud log analysis (e.g., Azure, AWS, or O365)Intrusion Detection System (IDS)/Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) log analysisSecurity Information and Event Management (SIEM) log analysisEmail security appliance or software log analysisNetwork device firmware integrity checksAccess point (AP) log analysisSensitive application/web security log analysisWhile the primary goal of the assessment is to determine if there is already a compromise of critical systems, Schneider Downs will also provide a security architecture review and recommend improvements to improve the multiple layers of security protecting your organization. This includes reviewing the following items, leveraging our extensive client experiences:Web filtersAntivirus productsSIEM productsIDS/IPS (integrated firewalls or standalone devices)Data Loss Prevention (DLP) SoftwareEmail Security ProductsCybersecurity User EducationNetwork ArchitectureDMZ ArchitecturePatch ManagementWindows Event Logging AnalysisOur ProcessInterview to scope the analysisConduct public domain searches, custom IP and domain scans, DNS scans, metadata scans, and web bug attacksReview and validate findings and refine configuration to re-scan as necessary; write reportReport, review, and knowledge transfer About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Incident Response Plan Development, Testing, & Training Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Data confidentiality or system availability incidents are inevitable. Be it criminal intrusion after personally identifiable information, a state sponsored intrusions after your client database or other intellectual property, or the extortion of your data with the use of ransomware or DDoS attacks.Our security professionals have years of experience planning, testing and responding to real world Cyber incidents. An up-to-date, manageable incident response plan is vital to a timely and effective response to a potential major data incident. These plans and their proper execution can preserve an organization’s reputation and prevent the loss of millions of dollars.In helping our clients design, update, and test their incident response plan, we believe the best plans go beyond your normal IT personnel and include multiple disciplines of corporate management including Legal, Marketing, Compliance, Public Relations, and Operations.Our ProcessReview plans, policies, procedures and interview key personnelBuild a playbook to accommodate all scenarios and management verticalsReview playbook with key personnel and refineExercise, familiarize, and test playbook with simulated securityAbout Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### The Value of Robotic Process Automation As the business landscape becomes more competitive, companies continue to look for ways to improve performance and efficiency. Along with people and processes, using and adopting technology is a critical component to improving performance. Download “The Value of Robotic Process Automation” to learn about:How robotic process automation software works and types of botsThe business benefits of robotic process automation and machine processingRobotic process automation use cases and capabilitiesDetermining the cost and ROI associated with robotic process automationLearn more at RPA or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. DOWNLOAD THE CONTENT "*" indicates required fields Name* Company Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?*How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Resource Download Thank you.  Please Enjoy Your Content. 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit  Media coverage of data breaches often focus on the impact, but that’s only half the story. Get inside the mind of a hacker and learn about the common underlying circumstances leading to breaches and best practices you can take to protect yourself and your organization from being a target. Learn more about our cybersecurity team and services at Cybersecurity. ### Cyber 10 Vulnerabilities How Secure is Your Remote Workforce? Evaluating and strengthening your cybersecurity posture has never been more important as it is now. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased shift to remote workforces and in turn, increased vulnerabilities and threats placing your organization at risk. Get inside the mind of a hacker in our popular whitepaper “10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit” to learn about underlying circumstances leading to breaches and best practices to prevent becoming a statistic. About Schneider DownsThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity team provides robust services dedicated to keeping organizations secure including penetration testing, phishing and ransomware prevention services, incident response planning, digital forensics, and purple team assessments. In addition our Incident Response Team is available around the clock at 1-800-993-8937 if your organization suspects or is experiencing a network incident. For more information contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com or visit Cybersecurity.Helpful LinksSchneider Downs Penetration Testing OverviewSchneider Downs Digital Forensics & Incident Response OverviewSchneider Downs Cybersecurity Resource LibrarySchneider Downs Cybersecurity Blog DOWNLOAD THE CONTENT Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company/Organization* Email* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Forensic Analysis Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. From a forensics standpoint, our trained experts will use the most advanced technology and analysis methods. Ensure the incident or malware is contained and unable to breach additional systems Execute detailed analysis on production systems for malware or threat actor persistence Perform detailed forensic analysis of suspected compromised hosts Review all event logs and provide a detailed report on current auditing procedures Assess all network traffic and perform detailed threat analysis for potential malware command and control communications Review all Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) or Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) alerts for malicious activity Perform static and dynamic malware analysis on discovered payloads executed on victim machines Provide a detailed list of recommended remediation procedures and long-term cybersecurity enhancements Our malicious file analysis often leads to the identification of indicators of compromise (IOCs), such as IP addresses or domains communicating with the malware, Microsoft registry key modifications, identification of child or sub-processes that have been launched, code injections, and file names or other attributes of not just the malicious payloads, but the related affected files as well. With this information, we can help you track down other instances of the attack on other systems or put preventative measures in place to block them from happening going forward. Learn more about our Incident Response Process INCIDENT RESPONSE RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Firewall Configuration Review Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Schneider Downs firewall configuration review evaluates the rules from your firewalls to determine whether security risks exist in the configuration, whether the firewall software is up-to-date and if high risk services containing known vulnerabilities are allowed through the firewall. This review can be utilized for compliance verification and validation of perimeter security posture. We use a rating system and mitigation advice to prioritize and address your issues. We produce a detailed report showing how the device has been configured. We also report on any device vulnerabilities that are in the public domain that a hacker could target.Our ProcessInterview FW administrators; review FW policies and desired protectionScan and test FW settings, rules, procedures, and network net flowReview firewall findings and refine configuration as necessaryValidate and report firewall configuration and net flow About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### External Footprint Analysis Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Schneider Downs consultants will use commonly available open source tools, scanners and databases which can be acquired by any attacker to obtain a blueprint of the client and its Internet profile.Our team's approach external foot printing without any significant prior knowledge about the client’s network. We gather domain names, IP network ranges, and other information about hosts, such as operating systems and applications. This service may discover new hosts or applications on the network that the client management is not aware of, such as vendor, employee, or partner-added systems.Our ProcessInterview to scope the analysisConduct public domain searches, custom IP and domain scans, DNS scans, metadata scans, and web bug attacksReview and validate findings and refine configuration to re-scan as necessary; write reportReport, review, and knowledge transfer About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Cybersecurity Resources Resource Library Our Thoughts On View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Enterprise Information Security Program Review & Consultation Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. In today's IT environment risk and threats to your company can come from anywhere, internal (disgruntled employees, vendors, contractors), or external (organized crime, competitors, protesters, nation states). It is crucial that you identify your digital assets (PCI, PII, PHI, Banking, Marketing, Customer, Payroll, AP, AR, W2, Test, Back Ups, Paper, etc.), the threats to those assets, and the controls you have protecting the confidentiality, availability and integrity of those assets. Schneider Downs offers this type of security review and consultation to help protect your data.With this review, Schneider Downs seasoned professionals can also assist in defining strategies and developing policies and procedures customized for your business environment. We can build or assist with creating programs for security awareness and information security compliance. In addition, we can share our experiences as to which products or vendor security services may best meet your needs.Our ProcessInterview network administrators and third-party vendors and conduct network search for sensitive or critical data and systemsConduct network security reviews and scans, review security policies, procedures, and logsReview findings with security and management to reach consensusIssue report with as needed threats, risks, gaps, recommendations, strategies, policies, or procedures About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Cybersecurity Resources Resource Library Our Thoughts On View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Digital Forensics & Incident Response Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. In today's state of cybersecurity, breaches are often not a matter of if, but when. Approximately one in four companies will experience a data breach within 24 months. This could be the result of a number of different threats, such as malware campaigns, foreign state-sponsored threat actors, cybercriminals looking to turn a quick profit, or even insider threat.IBM's Cost of Data Breach Study indicates that having access to an outsourced incident response team typically accelerates the timeframe that events can be contained, which can be a significant factor in reducing the overall cost of a breach. Don't wait until it's too late. Schneider Downs digital forensics and incident response experts can be engaged ahead of a breach through a retainer contract or during emergency situations as needed. Our team of digital forensics and incident response experts have experience helping clients respond to a multitude of threat vectors and attack types. Schneider Downs will work with you to determine the exact factors that led to the breach, assist you in recovery, and develop lessons learned to better mitigate these types of events down the road. This process allows for restoration of faith that your systems will be hardened against future attacks and preserve business relationships and public trust.Experiencing or suspect a network incident?Contact the Schneider Downs Incident Response Team at 1-800-993-8937Download our Digital Forensics & Incident Response service overview for more information.Incident Response ProcessWe have a defined process for assisting clients through response to a computer security incident.1. Collect Initial FactsOur team will gather initial facts and circumstances surrounding the computer incident(s) reported. We will collect information about the incident, such as: date and time; systems affected, what these systems support, and how it was reported; and what suspicious behaviors were detected. If malware is detected, we will capture information regarding the type of malware, a listing of systems where it was identified, and other related information about how the malware operates.2. Scoping the IncidentBased on the initial facts, we will attempt to identify the scope of the incident. We will examine data and gather and review preliminary evidence to help guide further course of action.3. Data CollectionOur analysis will incorporate the use of data from various information sources, collected to preserve volatile evidence from key systems that can be analyzed later in the process.Our method will collect data from two general categories:Data that describes the current running state of the affected systems, such as network connections and running processes.A snapshot of important data that can help us identify what may have happened in the past (e.g. file listings, system logs, operating system data, etc.). This may include capturing read-only, full-disk images of affected systems and log files.4. Data AnalysisBased on information captured in the previous phase, we will execute a plan to review available data for indicators of compromise and any other related activity that will allow us to render an opinion on the activities that have occurred on those systems. We will rely on the completeness and accuracy of the data provided by the client to perform this step.5. ReportBased on the analysis performed, we will build a report for the client that identifies the following:Facts ObservedData CollectedData Analysis ResultsListing of Limitations (if any)Summary of FindingsLessons Learned Learn more about our Incident Response Process RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION FORENSIC ANALYSIS About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Services (CMMC) Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider Downs is an authorized C3PAO qualified to assess and certify CMMC certification for organizations conducting business with the Department of Defense's (DoD) program.What is CMMC?To enhance the protection of Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within the supply chain, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has worked with DoD stakeholders, university-affiliated research centers, federally funded centers and industry at large to develop version 2.0 of the CMMC, a process that measures the ability of organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB) sector to protect FCI and CUI.CMMC 2.0 will add a certification element to verify implementation of cybersecurity requirements and DoD contractors storing CUI will need to be certified by a CMMC Third Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO).CMMC is designed to provide the DoD assurance that a DIB contractor can adequately protect CUI at a level commensurate with the risk and account for flow down to subcontractors in a multitier supply chain. CMMC requirements will begin being phased into RFIs and RFPs in early 2025 and will eventually be mandatory for all.Ready to Get Started? Contact our team and let us know how we can help.Download our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization.CMMC FAQsTo help you navigate these requirements and prepare your organization for compliance, we have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CMMC framework, its impact on your business, and how Schneider Downs, as an authorized C3PAO, can guide your path to certification. For the full list of frequently asked questions, download our CMMC FAQ Guide.  What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract.Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. The CMMC Model FrameworkThe CMMC model framework categorizes cybersecurity best practices at the highest level by domains.Each domain is further segmented by a set of capabilities and achievements to ensure that cybersecurity objectives are met within each domain. Companies will further validate compliance with the required capabilities by demonstrating adherence to practices and processes that have been mapped across three maturity levels (explained below). Within this context, practices will measure the technical activities required to achieve compliance with a given capability requirement, while processes will measure the maturity of a organizations cybersecurity processes. CMMC Model 2.0 LevelsThe CMMC model has three defined levels, each with a set of supporting practices and processes, from Level 1 that addresses basic cyber hygiene to advanced and expert Levels 2 and 3. To meet a specific CMMC level, an organization must meet the practices and processes within that level and below. Levels are described as follows:CMMC Level 1 -The “foundational” level of CMMC compliance requires all contractors that have FCI in their contracts to implement a set of 17 basic cybersecurity practices that are required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204-21. Organizations that fall under level one may perform an annual self-assessment of the FAR 52.204-21 controls and report there score to the Department of Defense.CMMC Level 2 -The “advanced” level of CMMC that requires contractors that handle CUI to implement the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-171 framework which includes 110 practices from 14 CMMC domains. If a contractor handles sensitive CUI, the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clause 252.204-7012 requires the contractor to be level 2 certified by having a CMMC Third Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) perform an independent assessment to validate that the contractor has fully implemented the NIST 800-171 framework.CMMC Level 3 -The “expert” level of CMMC maturity that is required for contractors that work with critical DoD infrastructure. Organizations seeking level 3 certification will be required to comply with the NIST 800-172 framework. Level 3 contractors are also required to be accessed by the DoD directly as opposed to an independent C3PAO. Organizations will need to become certified for level 2 practices by a C3PAO prior to being assessed by the DoD for level 3. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC DomainsThe CMMC 2.0 model is cumulative and consists of 6 Level 1 domains and 8 additional domains for Level 2. Level 1domains originated from Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204.-21 and Level 2 originated from NIST SP 800-171. The domains are as follows:Level 1:Access Control (AC)Identification and Authentication (IA)Media Protection (MP)Physical Protection (PE)System and Communication (SC)System and Information Integrity (SI)Level 2 (Also contains all Level 1 Practices):Awareness and Training (AT)Audit and Accountability (AU)Configuration Management (CM)Incident Response (IR)Maintenance (MA)Personnel Security (PS)Risk Assessment (RA)Security Assessment (CA) CMMC Timeline and CostThe final CMMC rule was published and put into effect on December 16, 2024.For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. Given that, we expect future RFIs and RFPs will allow prime contractors subcontractors to work the cost of compliance into their bids. CMMC AssessmentsSchneider Downs is currently one of the first 54 Authorized Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) by the Defense Contract Management Agency’s (DCMA) Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC). Schneider Downs is authorized to provide certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. How Can Schneider Downs Help?Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 authorized C3PAOs in the nation. We can help your organization become CMMC certified by conducting an official CMMC assessment for your organization. Schneider Downs has several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCP) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCA) who are trained in using the CMMC Assessment Process (CAP). Schneider Downs is also able to help with a readiness consulting engagements to identify gaps within your controls and help remediate those gaps prior to your CMMC assessment. Organizations Seeking Certification (OSCs) should note that a single firm cannot perform both consulting and assessment service for a single client per the CyberAB standards.About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focuses on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. Cybersecurity Maturity ModelCertification (CMMC) Schneider Downs is one of the first 55 Authorized C3PAOs and can handle your CMMC Certificaton. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Cyber Speaker Series Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. Cyber Insurance 2022 and Beyond REQUEST A SESSION Many have questions about the recent changes to cyber insurance policies, processes, and potential future changes. Join the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team, as they provide an update on the cyber insurance market by breaking down the numbers and sharing frontline insights from countless strategic discussions with business and technology leaders attempting to navigate the shifting landscape of modern cybersecurity.   Created with Sketch. A high-level understanding of the modern cybersecurity threat landscape Created with Sketch. Relevant background information and insights regarding the recent changes to the cyber insurance market Created with Sketch. Best-practices and strategic takeaways to prepare for potential future changes $1,000,000 Global Ransomware Lockdown: Chronicles of a Rapid Responder REQUEST A SESSION Ransomware is one of the most devastating cyber-attack methods that exists today, and these attacks are seemingly getting more difficult to prevent and recover from. Does your organization have a plan for when the lights go out, data and systems become unavailable, the phones stop working, or the manufacturing floor comes to a crashing halt? Join the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team, as they share a real-world experience of a massive ransomware attack that shut down a global business operation for many weeks. Our team will provide a stunning first-hand account of the realities of a well-coordinated and crafted ransomware attack from an international threat actor that has eluded law enforcement for many years. Created with Sketch. An inside look at ransomware attacks by analyzing the tactics, techniques and methods used by the threat actors Created with Sketch. An overview of the controls that could have prevented or detected the malicious actions Created with Sketch. Accounts of lessons learned by those experiencing a modern cyber incident Accounts of lessons learned by those experiencing a modern cyber incident REQUEST A SESSION Join the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team as they share insights from countless strategic discussions with business and technology leaders attempting to navigate the shifting landscape of modern cybersecurity. Many organizations still lack a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity risks and with so many technical variables and threats, their cybersecurity strategy could find itself relying on thought processes that are outdated or based on false assumptions. From a penetration tester’s perspective; these strategic mistakes are often the root cause of significant compromises. During this presentation, we will discuss several critical misconceptions and overlooked risks that may be lurking within your organization’s cybersecurity strategy and then review practical approaches to help reach an effective cybersecurity posture. Created with Sketch. A high-level understanding of the modern cybersecurity threat landscape Created with Sketch. A breakdown of common strategic shortcomings that can negatively impact an organization’s overall security posture Created with Sketch. Best-practices and strategic takeaways to avoid falling victim to these strategic mistakes Best-practices and strategic takeaways to avoid falling victim to these strategic mistakes REQUEST A SESSION Press coverage of data breaches often focuses on the impact, but that’s only half the story. What if you could get a behind-the-scenes look at the underlying circumstances that resulted in these breaches? Our team of cybersecurity experts dedicate significant time and resources into maintaining a detailed understanding of advanced threat actor’s current capabilities and methodologies. We leverage this knowledge to help organizations of all sizes and industries to improve their ability to prevent and respond to cyber threat actors. Over the years, we’ve participated in countless penetration tests and incident response efforts. While every engagement has a unique set of circumstances, this presentation reviews the 10 most commonly exploited vulnerabilities in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Created with Sketch. A high-level understanding of the modern cybersecurity threat landscape Created with Sketch. An overview of the most effective tactics, techniques and procedures used by threat actors and pentesters alike to compromise organizations today Created with Sketch. Best-practices and strategic takeaways to help prevent, detect and respond effectively Effective Strategies for Board Communications on Cybersecurity REQUEST A SESSION Executives and board members alike are all keenly concerned about cyber-risks. Boards typically lack specific cyber-expertise but they've all seemingly read the same whitepaper on what questions to ask your CISO and/or Cybersecurity team. So why does it feel like a challenge to address their concerns and what is causing the communication gap? In this session, we will explore how to answer common tough questions such as "Are we secure?" or "Have we been hacked?" and others. Attendees will walk away with proven methods and strategic ideas that will better prepare them for future discussions with board member and c-suite executive conversations. Created with Sketch. A high-level understanding of the modern cybersecurity threat landscape Created with Sketch. A breakdown of common strategic shortcomings that can negatively impact an organization’s overall security posture Created with Sketch. Strategic takeaways and tangible steps to help improve board communication Our team of experienced cybersecurity professionals offer a diverse range of speaking engagements covering topics from general cybersecurity best practices to industry specific needs. Sessions are available on-site and virtually. REQUEST A SESSION About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Cybersecurity Resources Resource Library Our Thoughts On View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Information Technology Audit and Compliance Services A well-planned, properly structured information technology (IT) audit program is essential to evaluate risk management practices, internal control systems, and compliance with regulations and corporate policies. Our IT audit and compliance practice helps ensure that your organization is risk-focused, promotes sound IT controls, ensures the timely resolution of audit deficiencies, and informs the board of directors of the effectiveness of risk management practices. We recognize that this is often difficult to perform internally as organizations must plan, manage and monitor rapidly changing technologies to enable it to deliver and support new products, services, and delivery channels to remain competitive in their marketplace. However, this rate of change, and the resulting increased reliance on technology, makes the inclusion of IT audit coverage essential to an effective organization.Schneider Downs’ IT audit and compliance professionals help organizations gain valuable insights into their processes and technologies. Our dedicated IT audit and compliance professionals have experience working with a wide variety of industries and companies of all sizes. We will  partner with you to provide comprehensive IT audits and compliance reviews that will ensure your organization has effective and efficient technology controls that better align the technology function with their business and risk strategies. Download the IT Audit and Compliance Services OverviewIT Audit and Compliance Services Include the Following:Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery PlanningCybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)FFIEC IT Compliance AssessmentGDPR ComplianceHIPAA Compliance AssessmentHITRUSTInformation Technology AuditIRS Publication 1075ISO27001 Compliance AssessmentIT General Controls AuditNIST Compliance AssessmentPayment Card Industry Data Security Standard ComplianceRisk Assessment ServicesSarbanes-Oxley Compliance Audits ### Client Satisfaction Survey Thank you for trusting Schneider Downs with your cybersecurity and IT needs. We value your feedback and invite you to take our brief client satisfaction survey. If you have any questions regarding our survey please contact the cybersecurity team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Case Studies Case Studies Explore recent case studies that illustrate Schneider Downs' efforts to help clients identify risk, mitigate exposure to cyber-attacks, and recover systems, ultimately resulting in cost savings and more secure environments. Case Studies Case Study: Company Impacted by Six-Figure Ransomware Attack Case Studies Employees’ Passwords Compromise Cybersecurity Defenses Case Studies Global Manufacturer Operations Halted By Ransomware Attack ### Interested in Becoming an ESOP MEET NP CONSULTING Does an ESOP make sense compared to individuals separately owning shares?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Cash Flow Analysis for Seller and Buyer Employee Education and Planning ESOP Evaluation / Retirement Benefits Analysis Estate Planning Wealth Management Does an ESOP make sense compared to individuals separately owning shares?" A Professional Services Firm Interested in Becoming an ESOP NP Consulting is a tight-knit, team-oriented professional services firm that’s about to go through some changes. Though the company has a wide range of owners and potential owners, the two primary players are getting ready for retirement. Before they go, they want to ensure a bright future for their team and company by transferring ownership of NP Consulting to their employees—who they consider to be family. As part of their overarching succession plan, they are also exploring options to buy out some of the majority owners. Key Business and Operational Questions How can we continue to grow and stay independent?How does an ESOP actually work?Is an ESOP my best option compared to private equity or an employee private buy-out?What is the timeline and impact of a gradual exit strategy?  Key Financial Considerations and Questions Does becoming an ESOP mean I get less money when I sell?How do I determine the price of stock/ownership?How do I get my money out of the transfer transaction?Is ownership investment worth it financially?What happens if the business fails, am I financially impacted? Recommended Services Business Valuation Cash Flow Analysis for Seller and Buyer Employee Education and Planning ESOP Evaluation / Retirement Benefits Analysis Estate Planning Wealth Management Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### Higher Ed Executive Compensation Higher Ed Executive Compensation We welcome you to download our free whitepaper, Compensation 101: Avoiding Intermediate Sanctions in Higher Education. Please complete the form below and you will be instantly routed to access the document. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email Address* Company Phone numberPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Thanks For Downloading Our Content! ( Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021 ) Thanks For Downloading Our Content! We appreciate your interest and hope you find your copy of Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021 useful.For more information on Schneider Downs Data Privacy Services, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/data-privacy-services.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021 Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021 Data continues to be one of the most valuable and targeted resources for organizations of all sizes across all industries.With the continued state of remote workforces and increased scrutiny on consumer data rights, our team shares what they believe are the top ten data privacy trends to watch for in 2021. Download our Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021 whitepaper to learn more.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity.Download the Content.Please Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email Address* Company Phone numberPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Thanks For Downloading Our Content! (Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment) Thanks For Downloading Our Content! We appreciate your interest and hope you find your copy of Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment useful.For more information on our Purple Team Assessments, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/cybersecurity/services/purple-team-assessment.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Cloud Security Configuration Assessment Cloud Security Configuration Assessment Identify Misconfigurations and Compliance Gaps to Strengthen Cloud Security As businesses increasingly rely on cloud environments, securing these platforms is more critical than ever. Schneider Downs’ Cloud Security Configuration Assessment service offers a comprehensive evaluation of your cloud infrastructure across major platforms, including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Amazon Web Services (AWS). We identify misconfigurations, permission gaps, and compliance issues to help you strengthen your cloud security, minimize vulnerabilities, and ensure regulatory compliance before breaches occur. Our Cloud Security Configuration Assessment provides clear insights into the security health of your cloud environment. We systematically identify weaknesses that could be exploited by cybercriminals, offering actionable recommendations to remediate risks. Whether you aim to enhance existing defenses or verify compliance with industry standards, our assessment aligns technical solutions with your business needs. What to Expect from Cloud Security Configuration Assessments Detailed analysis to identify security gaps and misconfigurations. Platform-specific recommendations to strengthen cloud infrastructure. Alignment with compliance frameworks to reduce risks. Increased confidence in securing critical cloud workloads and data. Core Assessment Components Identity and Access Management Excessive Permissions and Privilege Sprawl Multi-factor Authentication Coverage Role-Based Access Control Implementation Service Account Security Data Protection and Governance Storage Configuration Security Encryption Implementation Gaps Data Classification Practices Retention and Backup Controls Infrastructure Security Network Security Group Configurations Virtual Network Design Weaknesses Public Endpoint Exposure Container and Serverless Security Compliance and Logging Audit Configuration Adequacy Security Monitoring Coverage Compliance Policy Alignment Incident Response Preparedness How Cloud Security Assessments Work Tailored Assessment: We collaborate with your cloud admins to understand your environment and customize the security assessment to meet your needs. Comprehensive Review: We examine cloud configurations, including IAM policies and resource permissions, to identify security gaps and potential vulnerabilities. Risk Mapping: Using specialized tools, we identify attack vectors such as privilege escalation and data exfiltration, highlighting critical risks. Prioritized Report: We provide a detailed, prioritized report with findings, risks, and actionable remediation strategies to improve cloud security. Executive & Technical Briefings: After the assessment, we offer briefings to explain findings, address questions, and guide the implementation of security improvements. Compliance Alignment: We ensure your cloud environments meet compliance standards like NIST, CIS, and CSA, helping you stay regulatory-ready. Ongoing Security Support: Beyond the assessment, we offer best practices for continuous monitoring and configuration management to maintain robust security. Why Schneider Downs? Commitment to Security Success: We’re committed to your organization’s security, viewing it as key to protecting sensitive data and critical infrastructure in a connected world. Expertise in Cloud Security: Our team has specialized expertise in secure cloud configurations across platforms, gained through enterprise implementations and cloud security incident responses. Prioritized Remediation: We leverage insights from investigating cloud-based breaches to prioritize remediation efforts for maximum security impact. Proactive Threat Intelligence: Our consultants stay ahead of evolving threats, ensuring recommendations reflect best practices and Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). Ready to get started? Contact the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Experiencing or suspect a cloud security incident? Contact the Schneider Downs Incident Response Team at 1-800-993-8937. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment Our Schneider Downs Purple Team exercise brings together our onsite red and blue teams to work alongside your team to prevent and detect specific offensive techniques from the MITRE ATT&CK Framework and other hacker tools, techniques and procedures.As part of a Purple Team exercise, our goal is to provide the hacker mentality and toolsets our red team experts possess along with the incident responder and defensive thinking of our blue team experts in a way that encourages, engages and sparks knowledge transfer. Download our Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment whitepaper to learn more about purple team assessments, including how they’re devised and measured and the key benefits.  Additional information is provided at www.schneiderdowns.com/cybersecurity/services/purple-team-assessment.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity.Download the Content.Please Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Download ### Revenue Recognition Update 2016 Revenue Recognition Update 2016 We welcome you to download our free brochure on the updates to the revenue recognition standard. Please complete the form below and you will be instantly routed to access the document. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email Address* Company Phone numberEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Revenue Recognition 2014 Revenue Recognition 2014 You may download a copy of "Addressing the New Revenue Recognition Standard."  Please note that there have been recent updates to these standards.  Click here to reference the updated version.  Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2015 Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2015 Are you thinking about a career in accounting? Do you want to know what life is like for a tax specialist at a regional CPA firm? Did you know that we have an internship program for Marketing majors?Schneider Downs is recruiting interns for audit, tax, internal audit and marketing. We recruit top talent to join our team for the winter (January start) or the summer (June start). Learn about our intership program from our interns - click on the photos below.If you're interested in an internship, please contact Mike Collins for Pittsburgh opportunities or Natalie Donovan for Columbus opportunities. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook Archive Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook Archive 2013 Intern Yearbook2014 Intern Yearbook2015 Intern Yearbook2016 Intern Yearbook Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2016 Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2016 Are you thinking about a career in accounting? Do you want to know what life is like for a tax specialist at a regional CPA firm? Did you know that we have an internship program for Marketing majors?Schneider Downs is recruiting interns for audit, tax, internal audit and marketing. We recruit top talent to join our team for the winter (January start) or the summer (June start). Learn about our intership program from our interns - click on the photos below.If you're interested in an internship, please contact Mike Collins for opportunities. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2014 Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2014 Are you thinking about a career in accounting? Do you want to know what life is like for a tax specialist at a regional CPA firm? Did you know that we have an internship program for Marketing majors?Schneider Downs is recruiting interns for audit, tax, internal audit and marketing. We recruit top talent to join our team for the winter (January start) or the summer (June start). Learn about our intership program from our interns - click on the photos below.If you're interested in an internship, please contact Mike Collins for Pittsburgh opportunities or Natalie Donovan for Columbus opportunities. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2013 Schneider Downs Intern Yearbook 2013 Are you thinking about a career in accounting? Do you want to know what life is like for a tax specialist at a regional CPA firm? Did you know that we have an internship program for Marketing majors?Schneider Downs is recruiting interns for audit, tax, internal audit and marketing. We recruit top talent to join our team for the winter (January start) or the summer (June start). Learn about our intership program from our interns - click on the photos below.If you're interested in an internship, please contact Mike Collins for Pittsburgh opportunities or Natalie Donovan for Columbus opportunities. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Health Care Reform and Your Business Health Care Reform and Your Business President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“the Act”) into law on March 23, 2010. Separately, on March 25, 2010, the Senate and House passed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (“the Reconciliation Act”) amending many provisions of the Act. The Reconciliation Act was signed into law by President Obama on March 30, 2010.Collectively, this represents a seismic change in the manner in which Americans perceive–and experience– health care. Over the course of the coming months, Schneider Downs will continue to monitor news and events surrounding this evolving issue, and we will evaluate the impact of these policy decisions on businesses and organizations.If you would like to receive automatic updates as we continue to post our insights, please subscribe to our free e-newsletter.Links to Health Care Reform Information:Health Care - U.S. Government Web site dedicated to Health Care ReformOffice of the Clerk - Find out how your Representative voted for Health Care ReformUnited States Senate - Find out how your Senator voted for Health Care ReformLegislative information from the Library of Congress - Read the Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActWebinar:Schneider Downs hosted a webinar for Automotive dealers. Watch the Health Care Reform webinar. Note that the webinar also contains an investment market update. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### SOC Case Study - Health Management Solutions Provider SOC 2 + HITRUST SOC Case Study - Health Management Solutions Provider SOC 2 + HITRUST Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSchneider Downs completed a Service Organization Control (SOC 2) report +HITRUST for health management solutions provider.What was the need or problem that you had before you started using Schneider Downs’ services?Our organization was seeking guidance in obtaining a SOC2+HITRUST report to provide to a large healthcare provider. It became a mandated requirement to continue doing business with this entity.Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs?Schneider Downs came highly recommended. They also have a very strong presence in the city of Pittsburgh where we are located, and their reputation for quality precedes them.What was it like to work with Schneider Downs?From the start, Schneider Downs was an extremely thorough, knowledgeable, and valuable partner. Obtaining a SOC 2+HITRUST report can be a daunting endeavor. It’s important that you feel comfortable and secure in honestly discussing your organizations needs and goals. Schneider Downs performed an initial risk assessment and provided guidance in planning a realistic timeline for obtaining our report. In this process you don’t want to feel you are just given a rulebook and meeting deadlines. You want a partner that understands your specific needs as your path to obtaining your report will be unique to your organization.What is an example of how Schneider Downs went "the extra mile" to serve you?There were many times when we had questions and needed clarification on audit evidence and controls. This pertained not only to ourselves individually but also in regards to business partners and associates. As we form new business partnerships and obtain new clients, we find ourselves reaching back out to Schneider Downs for their up-to-date knowledge and steadfast expertise. They will remain a valuable asset long after you obtain your SOC 2+ HITRUST report.How has Schneider Downs and the SOC 2+ HITRUST Report benefited your company?Our report was required to continue to do business with a very large healthcare provider. Therefore, obtaining the report fulfilled an immediate need. Not long after obtaining our report, we had the opportunity to partner with another large healthcare provider. One of the very first things they asked was, "Do you have a SOC2+HITRUST report"? Being able to provide our prospects with a SOC2+HITRUST report and demonstrating that our security controls are operating effectively has provided us opportunities that we may not have had otherwise.In addition, going through the audit process forced us to take a hard look at our current control environment. We now have a much stronger control environment and can convey to current and future customers that their data will be appropriately protected.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at www.schneiderdowns.com/soc. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - San Jose (CA) Quality of Earnings Reports - San Jose (CA) When it comes to buying or selling a San Jose or California business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our San Jose QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in San Jose and across California. If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About San Jose (CA) The San Jose business community is a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem that thrives in the heart of Silicon Valley, often regarded as the global epicenter of technology and innovation. Located in the northern part of California's Santa Clara County, San Jose is the largest city in the region and serves as a bustling hub for entrepreneurs, tech companies, and startups. The city's business landscape is heavily influenced by the tech giants that call Silicon Valley home, including companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and Cisco Systems. These industry leaders have not only shaped the global technology landscape but have also contributed significantly to the local economy, providing job opportunities and driving innovation in various fields such as software development, artificial intelligence, and hardware manufacturing. San Jose's business community extends well beyond the big tech companies. The city is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity, with numerous startups and incubators focusing on cutting-edge technologies and disruptive ideas. The availability of venture capital funding and a culture that values innovation have made it an ideal place for aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their visions into reality. ### Dynamics GP Consultant - Pittsburgh, PA Microsoft Partner Dynamics GP Consultant - Pittsburgh, PA Let’s be clear: Dynamics GP is not going away, but the reasons to keep using GP are becoming less and less compelling.As experienced Microsoft Dynamics GP consultants, Schneider Downs understands the value organizations have placed on their investment in Microsoft Dynamics GP. We recognize that many businesses are struggling to find the right way to incorporate Microsoft Dynamics GP into their cloud strategy and are questioning whether Dynamics GP has reached end of life. The Schneider Downs Technology Advisors can help address these concerns, and more importantly, guide you through the complex migration to Dynamics 365 Business Central.3 Key Reasons to Migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central 1. Increased ROI and cost-effectiveness as Dynamic GP Costs continue to increase.Businesses using Business Central saw a 162% ROI over three years. A variety of cost savings using Business Central include:Avoidance of one full-time equivalent and one part-time equivalent finance/operations hires.44k elimination of 3rd party reporting spend over 3 years.Avoidance of more than 40k in costs pertaining to the previous solution (server hosting, server support & maintenance, IT support).Automatic annual updates in Business Central cut down on costs.Source: TEI_of_Microsoft_Business Central_FINAL.pdf (schneiderdowns.com)Meanwhile, Microsoft has significantly reduced its investment in the Dynamics GP and SL platforms while increasing annual enhancement fees two years in a row. Effective October 1, 2023, your enhancement fees will increase by 1%. Infrastructure fees and the salaries of IT resources are going up, meaning the cost of hosting GP is going up.  If you plan to keep GP, you will need to plan to make a significant investment in security.2. Your ERP should be built into your tech stack; your tech stack shouldn’t be built around your ERP.Microsoft continues to invest in the interoperability of the Dynamics 365 Business Central app with other platforms."By adopting Business Central, you can leverage the power of a comprehensive cloud-based ERP solution that adapts to your unique business needs, ensuring your ERP is an integrated part of your tech stack, not a limiting factor." Recently, Microsoft announced read-only access for Office 365 users with no additional licensing required.In contrast, the technology behind Dynamics GP remains the same while many of the things around GP are evolving. While each update is tested for compatibility, that does not mean the features you are using will not go away or become “buggy”.  Recently, a few notable things have happened to negatively interfere with business: Modern Authentication rollout required many updates not to lose email, and some features (like the web client) still broke, VBA Customizations now require a workaround to use, AV software has been known to interfere with stability, and Office updates have broken functionality.3. Take advantage of cloud technology for scalability, flexibility, and security.79% of businesses like yours are either planning or in the process of migrating to the cloud. The level of self-service reporting available in Microsoft Business Central is staggering compared to Dynamics GP. Nearly every page within the system can be exported into Excel or pulled into a Power BI Report.In their 2021 annual report, Microsoft committed to investing over $20 billion in security over a 5-year period. The platform is compliant with multiple data protection standards and regulatory requirements, meaning much of the liability associated with maintaining compliance is shifted to Microsoft. These benefits include:99.9% uptime guarantee.The concept of a “stuck batch” does not exist in Microsoft Business Central.Point in time restore for up to 28 days.Designed with disaster recovery in mind.Automatic updates.Behind-the-scenes resource scaling.Anytime/anywhere access from nearly any device.Ready to take the next step but not sure which direction to follow? Let us help you review your options. Use the form above to schedule a readiness call with a Schneider Downs Technology Advisor today. CONTACT US TODAY "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Benefits of migrating Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central: 162% ROI79% of businesses are planning to implement cloud ERP200k median loss from fraud of small to medium sized businesses About Schneider DownsTechnology and Data ServicesSchneider Downs Technology Advisors are committed to providing value-added technology services and solutions to our clients. We strive to create an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship with our clients by focusing on client satisfaction, delivery of quality service and the continuous education and training of our staff. In today's demanding world market, one of the most challenging tasks facing a company is utilizing and processing information effectively and efficiently. ### Fraud Risk Diagnostic Evaluation Fraud Risk Diagnostics and Mitigation Services Evaluate Your Organization’s Fraud Defenses and Uncover Gaps Before They Become Costly Mistakes Fraud can be catastrophic in both financial and reputational terms, and therefore, requires executive commitment to address related risks so that an organization is adequately protected.Schneider Downs Business Advisors can provide you with the necessary expertise to evaluate your company's current fraud mitigation plan and infrastructure, support your efforts to perform a fraud risk assessment or assist with the development of a robust fraud mitigation plan.Unfortunately, many companies find out about their weaknesses only after they have been exploited by a fraudster. Even smaller frauds are a drain on an organization's financial resources.In today's environment, no organization wants to throw away even a small percentage of revenues (3% to 5%) in fraud losses. Given recent headlines, fraud is at least on the radar of most organizational leaders. Executives typically wonder whether fraud can occur within their organization, beholden to their trust that their accountants have things in order, but lacking the expertise or resources to truly assess the status of their organization's fraud mitigation program (if it exists).Schneider Downs Business Advisors can assist executive leadership by performing an organizational Fraud Risk Diagnostic Evaluation, the first step in assessing an organization's fraud readiness.The minimal investment made for a Fraud Risk Diagnostic Evaluation can be offset by triggering necessary improvements or by simply serving as validation of the current state of the fraud mitigation program. Fraud Mitigation ProgramOur quick and efficient approach consists of an analysis of the following areas an organization's fraud mitigation program:Governance & CommunicationManagement Ownership of ResponsibilityIdentification of Key Fraud RisksFraud Risk Tolerance and ManagementEnvironment Level ControlsProcess Level ControlsProactive Fraud Detection and InvestigationIn evaluating these areas, we highlight weaknesses in an organization's fraud mitigation program, so that the organization can make necessary modifications, including the possible performance of a fraud risk assessment. About Schneider Downs Business AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. View our additional Fraud services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Schneider Downs Forensic Accounting Services Schneider Downs Forensic Accounting Services Schneider Downs Business Advisors' Certified Fraud Examiners perform forensic examinations to determine where the loopholes are and identify who is taking advantage of them.Our advisors investigate allegations of fraud, white-collar crime, embezzlement and financial crimes, and we quantify the potential losses incurred, and design and implement internal accounting and management controls for loss prevention and risk management.If you suspect fraud at your business, please call us today at 412-261-3644.*Statistics from www.acfe.com, Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and AbuseAwareness is powerful tool to detect and prevent fraud. Subscribe to our free newsletter E-mail EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Sign up * required Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Request Additional Information Request Additional Information "*" indicates required fields Name* Email* Phone NumberHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone Comments/QuestionsNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * requiredThank you.  We will be in contact with you shortly. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### HITRUST CSF Reporting HITRUST Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. SOC 2 + HITRUST CSF Report What it is: A mapping between the HITRUST CSF requirements and AICPA's Trust Services Categories and Criteria has been developed and made available to enable service organizations to provide information to users of their system about whether controls relevant to security, availability and confidentiality are suitably designed and operating effectively to meet the applicable trust services criteria (TSC) and HITRUST CSF requirements. This enables the service organization to communicate information about the processes and procedures it uses to meet the HITRUST CSF, in addition to the applicable TSC. This increases transparency and provides information for decision making. Benefits: SOC 2 engagements are performed under the professional standards of the AICPA It is substantially less expensive than obtaining a validated report and certification from HITRUST It is often the preferred method of compliance reporting from organizations that perform third-party risk assurance activities Each organization's risk appetite is unique to them, so they decide to determine what level of third-party assurance is necessary. If you're not sure whether your customers accept the SOC 2 + HITRUST CSF Report, ask your customers whether it will be sufficient to give them appropriate assurance of your controls. HITRUST CSF Validated Report and Certification This option is used when a service organization wants to provide its stakeholders with a HITRUST CSF certification report but does not choose to provide them with a SOC 2 report. This engagement is performed by an approved HITRUST CSF assessor based on the HITRUST CSF requirements. The engagement consists of an assessment that is submitted to HITRUST for evaluation. If the service organization controls meet the HITRUST CSF requirements based on a determination by HITRUST, the result is the issuance of a certification report by HITRUST. Benefits: Validation is performed against all 135 control references Assessment requirements are assessed based on the 5 PRISMA-based maturity levels (Non-Compliant, Somewhat Compliant, Partially Compliant, Mostly Compliant, Fully Compliant) You receive a validated certification report, based on the assessor and HITRUST's evaluation and determination. SOC 2 + HITRUST CSF + CSF Certification What it is: This reporting option is used when a service organization wants to obtain both a SOC 2 + HITRUST CSF report in addition to a HITRUST CSF certification. Attribute SOC 2 HITRUST Certification SOC 2 + HITRUST SOC 2 + HITRUST CSF + CSF Certfication Framework AICPA TSC Tes A/C/P TSC and HITRUST CFS+ Certification This reporting option is used when a service organization wants to obtain both a SOC 2 + HITRUST CSF report in addition to a HITRUST CSF certification. Please contact us if you are considering this reporting option. Requires HITRUST scoping factors NO CSF Assesor Yes Independent third party examiner CPA Firm HITRUST Alliance CPA Firm with valid licensure Governing body for the report AICPA HITRUST Alliance AICPA Who prepares the report? CPA FIRM No Yes Incorporate SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria (TSC) Yes No Yes Allows Type 1 (point in time) explanation option Yes Yes Yes Requires a risk rating to be established for controls Yes No, but CorrectiveAction Plans are issued Yes Reporting control gaps (exceptions) Yes (Type 2) Yes (Type 2) Yes (Type 2) Allow for Corrective Action Plans No No Yes Requires a full scope examinations each year Yes Yes Yes List of attestation 1 year 2 years, plus an interim review within 1 year 1 year About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us Our Thoughts On Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Over...Now What? As October comes to an end, so does Cybersecurity Awareness Month. However, that doesn’t mean our focus on security awareness… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Purple Teaming Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Purple Teaming. In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Governance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cybersecurity Governance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Insurance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cyber Insurance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Deepfake Scams – A Growing Threat Deepfake-driven fraud remains a top concern for CISOs and security professionals, as the frequency and complexity of these scams continue… Read More > ### Federal Tax Federal Tax Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### MIP End-of-Year Tips MIP End-of-Year Tips The Schneider Downs Technology Advisors team has assembled several documents to help with your year-end planning and processing.  These items only occur once a year so we thought it would be helpful to bring them together for you.2009 1099 Guide This document provides information and the steps to follow for preparing and creating your vendor 1099s.  This document explains using the Sage Aatrix® service to handle all processing and filing. 2009 W-2 Guide This document provides information and the steps to follow for preparing and creating your employee W-2s. 2009 End-of-Year Thoughts End-of-year is a good time to review your system and clear out unneeded information.  This document reviews important system maintenance procedures you should perform. MIP User Group Power Point Presentation  In case you missed the Schneider Downs user group conference earlier this year, this document contains the slides on all topics covered. If you have questions on any of these topics, please call the Schneider Downs Help Desk at 866-999-SDCO.  Interested in making Schneider Downs your reseller?  Contact Patrick Armknecht at 412-697-5386 or Teresa Grady at 614-586-7268.Have a great New Year! Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Family Office Services Family Office Services Schneider Downs understands that the relationship with your CPA firm rests on a strong foundation and we strive to build this footing with big thinking and personal focus for our Family Office clients.  As a top 60 CPA firm in the U.S., we have more than 350 professionals with a wide background of experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  Our people are our greatest assets – they have enabled us to grow by being responsive and assisting our clients with practical solutions.  Our family office services practice was developed Schneider Downs to recognize that our clients’ needs are both complex and unique. Our ability to integrate the essential services of business accounting and consulting, tax consulting and compliance, estate planning, treasury management, and wealth management practice units enables us to deliver a coordinated approach to your financial needs.Clients We Serve In Family OfficeOur clients include existing or developing Family Offices who require a full outsourcing or co-sourcing of services in the areas indicated below.What Differentiates Schneider Downs Family Office Services?Family obtains a trusted advisorDevelopment of personalized long term wealth management, tax planning, and estate planning strategiesTimely deliverable turnaround time by ensuring the work is properly leverage to the firm’s subject matter expertsScalable delivery model for small and large multi generational families onboardingEffective utilization of technologies for wealth management and document retention (Marketplace Development of a specialized service in the Pittsburgh and Columbus markets)Services We Offer To Family OfficesBusiness Accounting and ConsultingTreasury ManagementTax Consulting and ComplianceEstate PlanningWealth ManagementContact UsAt Schneider Downs, it's our business to provide you with an accurate blueprint and the tools you need to build a sturdy financial structure, aimed at future growth.  For more information on how Schneider Downs can assist your family office, please contact us. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### What is HITRUST? HITRUST HITRUST unifies regulatory and industry requirements for managing information risk and protecting sensitive data. HITRUST ensures that your organization meets the highest standards for protecting sensitive information. As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a proven track record with HITRUST protocols and solutions, offering reliable guidance and support throughout your entire certification process. The HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) provides a prescriptive set of requirements to assess and score the efficacy of organizational systems. It streamlines the myriad of accepted frameworks, regulations and standards into one holistic framework. The framework also allows for enhanced customization by various scoping factors including organization type, size, transaction volume, location, systems, and applicable regulations. HITRUST was developed in collaboration with leading healthcare and information security industry organizations. The CSF now harmonizes and maps over 50 authoritative sources, including HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, NIST 800 series, GDPR, etc. Improve Data Security Reduce Liability Enhance Customer Trust Your Roadmap to HITRUST Certification Schneider Downs' Approach to HTIRUST Validated Assessments/Certification (e1, i1, r2). Fact: HITRUST-certified organizations have reported breaches as low as .59%, based on The HITRUST 2025 Trust Report. Which Certification Type is Right for Your Organization? e1, i1, or r2 Certifications SOC 2 + HITRUST Attestation Why Us? Your Trusted HITRUST Experts Schneider Downs is a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor Firm specializing in healthcare organizations. Our unique approach prioritizes personalized guidance, expert insights and ongoing support – even after certification!              What You’ll Achieve with Our Partnership: A comprehensive understanding of the HITRUST CSF control requirements and any design/operating gaps Prioritized recommendations of gaps (both required and optional) A defined roadmap for implementation HITRUST validated assessment testing, reporting, and CAP/GAP consulting assistance A HITRUST e1, i1, or r2 Validated Assessment Report and Certification Ready to take the next step? Speak with our HITRUST experts today to learn how we can help your organization. Contact us About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. OTHER USEFUL LINKS SOC 2 + Examinations | HIPAA | IT TPRM | ### Register to Attend a Webinar Register to Attend a Webinar "*" indicates required fields Name* Company/Organization Email* PhonePlease sign me up to attend the webinar.* May 27 @ 2:00 p.m. I cannot attend, but please contact me with more information. NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * requiredThank you for registering.  We will contact you with details. Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights. Subscribe for Updates ### Product Literature Product Literature "*" indicates required fields Name* Email Address CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * requiredDownload the SD inSITE Expense Entry feature sheet ### SD inSITE Employee Expense Entry Module SD inSITE Employee Expense Entry Module How much does it cost your organization to reimburse employee expenses? Consider the time it takes to fill out a spreadsheet or paper expense form, have it approved, reviewed by accounting, entered into accounts payable (or payroll), filing documents and receipts?There is a better way!SD INSITE EMPLOYEE EXPENSE ENTRYWeb-based, electronic formAccurate reimbursement for mileage; based upon your rulesAttach scanned receipt copies - truly paperless!Automated workflow for supervisor and accounting approvalBusiness rules to make sure expenses conform to policiesAutomated interface to accounts payable or payroll - no re-keying or error checkingSD INSITE EMPLOYEE EXPENSE ENTRYSave time for employees and accountingEliminate paperElectronic file of both expense forms and receiptsUse the inSITE expense reporting software to take the hassle out of expense reimbursement Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Value Builder Newsletter Subscribe to Our Value Builder Newsletter Whether you want to sell your business now or decades into the future, our content provides insight into strategies that will help you navigate through your company’s lifecycle. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive case study podcasts that highlight real stories from business owners, monthly articles aimed at educating owners on building the value of their business as well as quarterly live, interactive sessions with thought leaders and more. Interested in receiving exclusive exit planning content? 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Subscribe ### Executive Compensation and Benefit Planning Executive Compensation and Benefit Planning ### Schneider Downs and the Energy Industry Schneider Downs and the Energy Industry Schneider Downs has extensive experience in the Energy Industry:Provides specialized financial services and advice to clients in a broad variety of energy and natural resource categoriesAlternative fuels and energyOil and gasMiningMetalsTimberDelivers industry-specific updates and commentaries through our Energy BlogActively involved in various industry-related associations, such as:Ohio and Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (IOGA)Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA)Other industry forums and conferencesDo you want to learn how Schneider Downs’ Energy Industry Group can help your business?Contact our Energy Group leaders today: Jeffrey A. Wlahofsky and Jay R. MeglichThis advice is not intended or written to be used for, and it cannot be used for, the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties that may be imposed, or for promoting, marketing or recommending to another person, any tax related matter.Subscribe to our free Energy industry newsletter.Sign up here: "*" indicates required fields Name* Company Name* Email Address* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### Employee Login Employee Login PittsburghColumbus ### Sign up for Paperless Billing Sign up for Paperless Billing "*" indicates required fields Client Name* Client Number (can be found on upper right of invoice) E-bill Contact Name(s)* First E-bill Contact Email Address* Second E-bill Contact Email Address (if applicable) (both contacts will receive the same bill) E-bill Contact PhoneNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### COVID-19 RESOURCE [Content is password protected] ### Honors & Awards Content Coming Soon... ### Schneider Downs and the Automotive Industry Schneider Downs and the Automotive Industry Schneider Downs has extensive experience in the Automotive Industry:Provided services to automobile dealers for more than 40 yearsHosts quarterly, free webinars on topics relevant to auto dealershipsOur professionals annual attend industry-specific conferences and seminars such as:National Auto Dealer Association (NADA)American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) National Auto Dealership ConferenceDo you want to learn how Schneider Downs can help your auto dealership?Contact our Automotive Industry Group leaders today: Paul M. Matvey, Kathy D. Petrucci and Joseph J. Patrick, Jr.This advice is not intended or written to be used for, and it cannot be used for, the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties that may be imposed, or for promoting, marketing or recommending to another person, any tax related matter.Subscribe to our free Automotive industry newsletter.Sign up here:* required "*" indicates required fields Name* Company Name* Email Address* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### Tax Code Offers a Possible Cash Infusion for Real Estate Developers Tax Code Offers a Possible Cash Infusion for Real Estate Developers The Tax Code Offers a Possible Cash Infusion for Real Estate DevelopersThank you for downloading the article. ### Proposed Regulation Would Clarify Exceptions to $1 Million Deduction Limit Under IRC Section 162(m) Proposed Regulation Would Clarify Exceptions to $1 Million Deduction Limit Under IRC Section 162(m) Proposed Regulation Would Clarify Exceptions to $1 Million Deduction Limit Under IRC Section 162(m) Thank you for downloading the article. If you have any questions, please contact Ron Kramer. ### New Rules for Tax Return Disclosure of Information With Respect To Foreign Financial Assets Will Take Effect for 2011 Returns New Rules for Tax Return Disclosure of Information With Respect To Foreign Financial Assets Will Take Effect for 2011 Returns New Rules for Tax Return Disclosure of Information With Respect to Foreign Financial Assets Will Take Effect for 2011 Returns Thank you for downloading the article. If you have any questions, please contact Ron Kramer. ### IFRS Updates IFRS Updates PRIMARY CONTACTS: Joseph A. Bruce IASB Completes Off-Balance-Sheet Activities and Joint Arrangements Accounting Improvements. The IASB has announced the completion of its review of accounting treatment for off-balance-sheet activities. The IASB believes that this process broadly brings IFRSs and U.S. GAAP into alignment, and concludes an important element of the IASB’s comprehensive response to the financial crisis. The IASB’s review resulted in the issuance of the following new and (or) amended standards: IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements builds on existing principles by identifying the concept of control as the determining factor in whether an entity should be included within the consolidated financial statements of the parent company. The standard provides additional guidance to assist in the determination of control where this is difficult to assess. IFRS 10 supersedes IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements (as amended in 2008) and SIC 12 Consolidation - Special Purpose Entities. IFRS 11 Joint Arrangements is intended to provide for a more realistic reflection of joint arrangements by focusing on the rights and obligations of the arrangement, rather than its legal form (as is currently the case). The standard addresses inconsistencies in the reporting of joint arrangements by requiring a single method to account for interests in jointly controlled entities. IFRS 11 supersedes IAS 31 Interests in Joint Ventures and SIC 13 Jointly Controlled Entities - Non-Monetary Contributions by Venturers. IFRS 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities is a new standard on disclosure requirements for all forms of interests in other entities, including joint arrangements, associates, special purpose vehicles, and other off-balance-sheet vehicles. IAS 27 Separate Financial Statements (as amended in 2011) contains accounting and disclosure requirements for investments in subsidiaries, joint ventures, and associates when an entity prepares separate financial statements. The standard requires an entity preparing separate financial statements to account for those investments at cost or in accordance with IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. In completing IFRS 10, the IASB removed from IAS 27 all requirements relating to consolidated financial statements. IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures (as amended in 2011) prescribes the accounting for investments in associates and sets out the requirements for the application of the equity method when accounting for investments in associates and joint ventures. The new and amended standards are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013. Earlier application is permitted. If early application is applied, an entity should disclose that fact and apply IFRS 10, IFRS 11, IFRS 12, IAS 27 (as amended in 2011), and IAS 28 (as amended in 2011) at the same time. An entity can, however, provide the information required by IFRS 12 early without complying with all of the requirements of IFRS 12 or applying IFRS 10, IFRS 11, IAS 27 (as amended in 2011), and IAS 28 (as amended in 2011) early. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Preparing Your Business for More Invasive Employment Tax Audits Under the Employment Tax National Research Project Preparing Your Business for More Invasive Employment Tax Audits Under the Employment Tax National Research Project Preparing Your Business for More Invasive Employment Tax Audits Under the Employment Tax National Research ProjectIf you have any questions about the article, please contact Marty DiGiovine, JD . ### Imran Mohiuddin Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What has COVID-19 taught us about our businesses processes? If you’re like the employees of Schneider Downs, you haven’t seen the inside of your office since mid-March. The first… Read More > Processes Under Pressure COVID-19 has impacted work environments in ways never imagined. Teams, offices – even entire companies – have shifted to working… Read More > The Value of Business Process Analysis in your Succession Plan Are you planning to exit your business in the next 5-10 years? Have you thought about succession plans for your… Read More > ### What are the risks to your business? Schneider Downs' Internal Audit and Risk Advisory Services professionals partner with our clients to develop risk-based internal audit plans that support the goals of their companies. Our team of business advisors includes a range of skills and experience, including internal audit, IT specialists and subject matter professionals.The Schneider Downs Risk Assessment Methodology takes into account the most likely and most potenially damaging risks, identifies controls in place and pinpoints control gaps.Contact us for our references, who would be happy to tell you about their positive experiences with our team.We welcome the opportunity to work with you to help minimize your risk and achieve your goals. ### Internal Audit and Risk Advisory Services for the Education Sector PRIMARY CONTACT: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA (Pittsburgh) The role of internal audit is evolving due to economic conditions, ever-changing regulations, increased technology risk and globalization. This dynamic environment creates a new opportunity for internal audit to demonstrate its value, but also makes it difficult for many institutions to staff an internal audit function and/or maintain all of the necessary skills required to meet the challenges of the higher education sector. Schneider Downs is positioned to provide internal audit support, from staff augmentation to full outsourcing. We work closely with internal audit functions, management and Audit Committees to achieve the scope of coverage institutions require. In a co-sourcing arrangement, we partner with your professionals to fill problematic gaps in your internal audit function’s subject-matter skill sets or geographic needs in order to mitigate exposure to crucial areas requiring attention beyond your reach. Schneider Downs provides a suite of advisory and consulting internal audit and risk advisory services that address specific concerns of organizations, including: Internal Audit Sourcing IT Audit Sourcing Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance Services  Business Process Optimization Cybersecurity  Quality Assurance Review In addition to Internal Audit and Risk Advisory services, the Schneider Downs teams offers a number of services to education  institutions in the Pittsburgh and Columbus region, and across the United States, including: Audit and Assurance Services Auxiliary and Investment Activities Business Advisory Services Staffing Services State and Local Tax Matters Tax Compliance Services Technology Services and Compliance Wealth Management Advisors Browse the full service list on our education sector services webpage. About Schneider Downs Our Higher Education Industry Group operates with a service-focused philosophy: You talk, we listen.  It is this philosophy that has fueled our practice’s growth to nearly 40 clients over the past decade.  Higher education is a strategic priority for Schneider Downs. Our delivery of a comprehensive blend of integrated services ensures that our professionals can meet your institution’s operational and compliance needs.  By staying abreast the latest trends, developments and challenges within the education sector, our professionals offer timely and practical solutions to our clients. For questions or more information on Schneider Downs can help your institution, please contact James B. Yard. ### Resource Download (CMMC REFERENCE GUIDE) EACUBO 2011 Pittsburgh Workshop For your convenience, following are the presentations for the EACUBO 2011 Pittsburgh Workshop.  The documents will all print three slides per page.  If you would prefer the slides in a different format, please contact us.ERISA Fiduciary Responsibilities for 403(b) Plans: Keys to Implementation (Part 1)ERISA Fiduciary Responsibilities for 403(b) Plans: Keys to Implementation (Part 2)403(b) Participant and Plan Management for Successful Outcomes in Difficult TimesPost-Issuance Bond ComplianceFraud within NonprofitsIT Tools and Techniques to Assist in Fraud Prevention and DetectionTax and Legislative UpdateFASB Update ### Digital Transformation Consulting Schneider Downs Digital Transformation Solutions The Schneider Downs Digital Transformation team leverages technological innovations and our business expertise to develop strategic transformative solutions that drive business process improvement for organizations of all sizes. https://vimeo.com/649227587 Our solutions are built to identify and implement process and technology enhancements that are scalable and enable improved data reliability, productivity and timely reporting and analysis. Through our cross-functional team of risk and technology professionals, we provide insights and assistance in improving the foundational business processes of an organization and identify and implement technology to further automate and support those processes.  Some of our areas of technology specialization include: Reporting, Planning, & Analytics Automation and Workflow Data Management & Integration Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Infrastructure and Cloud Compliance & Security Benefits of Digital Transformation Data Accessibility and Reliability – Improve visibility to data and increase comfort over the completeness and accuracy of data utilized in financial reporting. Enhanced Use of Existing Software – Identify features and functionality of existing business applications that are unutilized or underutilized to maximize existing investments and strengthen processes. Improved Customer Relations – Provide better visibility into the customer experience and make more informed decisions related to buying habits, delivery of products and services, and support. Improved Reporting and Analytics - Improve timeliness and availability of financial and operational reporting and analytics to better support business insights that drive management decisions. Reduced Risk – Eliminate existing control gaps in processes while improving audit trails for compliance and regulatory requirements. Reduced Cost – Save time and money by freeing employees from non-value added tasks and by replacing patch-worked technology with robust multi-purpose solutions. Streamlined and Standardized Processes - Reduce inefficiencies in existing processes and create additional efficiencies through automation, standard operating procedures and training. Digital Transformation Resources Schneider Downs Digital Transformation in Finance and Accounting Schneider Downs Digital Transformation FAQ Guide Schneider Downs Whitepaper: Navigating the Digital Transformation Roadmap Schneider Downs Digital Transformation Solutions Overview Schneider Downs Digital Transformation Articles About Schneider Downs Technology and Data Services Schneider Downs Technology Advisors are committed to providing value-added technology services and solutions to our clients. We strive to create an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship with our clients by focusing on client satisfaction, delivery of quality service and the continuous education and training of our staff. In today's demanding world market, one of the most challenging tasks facing a company is utilizing and processing information effectively and efficiently. For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit our dedicated Technology and Data Services page. Contact The Team PDF Version CONTACT US "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### SD inSITE Time Entry Product Overview SD inSITE Time Entry Product Overview ### SD inSITE Employee Performance Product Overview SD inSITE Employee Performance Product Overview ### A Regional Firm with International Reach. Our SD Global professionals advise clients on issues related to expanding and operating within international markets. And with more than 120 clients conducting business internationally, our team has the experience to help most any company meet the challenges of global commerce. We respond quickly to client inquires and provide practical business recommendations.Our global delivery model incorporates PrimeGlobal, the third largest association of independent accounting firms in the world.  PrimeGlobal’s independent member firms house a combined total of 2,200 partners, 17,000 employees, and 800 offices in 90 countries around the globe.If your company operates internationally or you are thinking about expanding into new markets, contact us today. We can turn you in the right direction. ### International Tax Accountants Baltimore Annapolis (MD) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – BALTIMORE ANNAPOLIS (MD) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Baltimore, Annapolis and across Maryland. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Baltimore International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Baltimore (MD) Nestled along the picturesque shores of the Chesapeake Bay, the business community of Baltimore, Maryland, exudes a rich blend of history, innovation, and maritime heritage. As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Baltimore serves as a vital economic hub on the East Coast, with a diverse range of industries driving its economy. At its core, Baltimore's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as healthcare, biotechnology, maritime commerce, logistics, and education. The city is home to world-renowned medical institutions, research centers, and biotech companies, making it a leader in the healthcare and life sciences industries. Additionally, Baltimore's historic Inner Harbor serves as a bustling center for maritime commerce and tourism, attracting visitors from around the world. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Baltimore International Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Baltimore, Annapolis and across Maryland. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Maryland Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners ### MIP Product Overview MIP Product Overview ### International Tax Accountants - Boise (ID) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – BOISE (ID) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Boise and across Idaho. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Boise International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Boise (ID) Nestled in the scenic heart of Idaho, the business community of Boise exudes a blend of innovation, collaboration, and Western charm. Anchored by the majestic Boise River and surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains, Boise offers a unique setting that fosters entrepreneurship and economic growth. At its core, Boise's business landscape is shaped by a diverse array of industries, ranging from technology and agriculture to outdoor recreation and healthcare. The city serves as a burgeoning tech hub, attracting startups and established companies alike with its supportive ecosystem and skilled workforce. Boise's thriving technology sector is complemented by a robust agricultural industry, which benefits from the region's fertile soil and favorable climate. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Boise International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Boise and across Idaho. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Idaho Export Data ### International Tax CPAs Boston Cambridge MA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – BOSTON CAMBRIDGE (MA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in  Boston, Cambridge and across Massachusetts. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross-border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Massachusetts International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Boston (MA) The business community in Boston, Massachusetts, is a dynamic and diverse ecosystem that reflects the city's rich history, innovation, and academic prowess. As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston has a legacy of entrepreneurship and commerce that continues to thrive in the modern era. At its core, the Boston business community is deeply influenced by the presence of renowned universities and research institutions, including Harvard, MIT, and numerous others. This concentration of academic excellence fosters a culture of innovation and attracts top talent from around the world, driving breakthroughs in technology, biotechnology, healthcare, and finance. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Boston International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Boston, Cambridge, and across  Massachusetts. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Boston Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories Source: Trade.gov ### International Tax Accountants Stamford Bridgeport INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – STAMFORD BRIDGEPORT (CT) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Stamford, Bridgeport and across Connecticut. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Connecticut International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Stamford (CT) Nestled along the scenic shores of Long Island Sound, the business community of Stamford, Connecticut, embodies a dynamic blend of corporate headquarters, financial institutions, and entrepreneurial ventures. As a bustling economic hub in Fairfield County, Stamford serves as a vibrant center for commerce, innovation, and opportunity. At its core, Stamford's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as finance, insurance, technology, healthcare, and professional services. The city is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and major corporations, particularly in the financial and insurance industries, making it a significant player in the global economy. Additionally, Stamford's strategic location between New York City and Connecticut's Gold Coast has attracted a diverse array of businesses, from startups and small businesses to multinational corporations. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Connecticut International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm specializing in serving the international business accounting and tax needs of businesses in Stamford, Bridgeport, and Connecticut. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Connecticut Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories Source: Trade.gov ### SD inSITE Time Entry Demo SD inSITE Time Entry Demo ### International Business Tax Accountants Burlington (VT) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – BURLINGTON (VT) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Burlington and across Vermont (VT). We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Burlington International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Burlington (VT) The business community in Burlington, Vermont, is characterized by its resilience, diversity, and commitment to sustainability. Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Green Mountains, Burlington boasts a thriving economy driven by a mix of industries ranging from technology and healthcare to agriculture and tourism. At its core, Burlington's business landscape is defined by its vibrant entrepreneurial spirit. The city has a strong support system for startups and small businesses, with incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces fostering innovation and collaboration. This environment has nurtured a burgeoning tech scene, attracting talented professionals and investment capital to the area. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Burlington International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Burlington and across Vermont. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Vermont Economic Data ### SD inSITE Document Portal Product Overview SD inSITE Document Portal Product Overview ### International Tax Accountants - Calgary (AB) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – CALGARY (AB) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Calgary and across Alberta. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Calgary International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). About Calgary (AB) Nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, Calgary's business community embodies a unique blend of resilience, innovation, and resourcefulness, mirroring the spirit of the rugged landscape that surrounds it. As the largest city in Alberta, Calgary serves as a bustling economic center, deeply rooted in the province's rich history of energy production and resource development. At its core, Calgary's business landscape is defined by its strong ties to the energy sector, particularly oil and gas. The city's downtown skyline is punctuated by the headquarters of major energy companies, showcasing Calgary's pivotal role in the global energy industry. However, in recent years, Calgary has diversified its economy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, embracing emerging sectors such as technology, finance, and healthcare. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Calgary International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S. based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Calgary and across Alberta. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Calgary Top Exports ### Abra Demo Abra Demo ### International Business Tax Accountants - Charleston (SC) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – CHARLESTON (SC) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Charleston and across South Carolina. We focus our services on high-net-worth business owners and those with significant cross-border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Charleston International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Charleston (SC) Nestled along the picturesque coastline of South Carolina, the Charleston business community exudes a unique blend of Southern charm, historical significance, and economic vibrancy. Rooted in a rich tapestry of culture and tradition, this community thrives on a diverse array of industries that reflect both its heritage and forward-thinking ethos. At its heart, Charleston is renowned for its hospitality and tourism sector, drawing millions of visitors each year to explore its cobblestone streets, antebellum architecture, and culinary delights. The city's thriving restaurant scene, coupled with its vibrant arts and cultural offerings, creates a magnet for both tourists and locals alike, driving economic growth and job creation. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Charleston International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Charleston and across South Carolina. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit South Carolina Export Data ### Overview Overview ### International Tax Accountants Chicago Naperville IL NTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – CHICAGO NAPERVILLE (IL) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in  Chicago, Naperville and across Illinois. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Illinois International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Chicago (IL) Nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan, the business community of Chicago, Illinois, stands as a dynamic testament to innovation, diversity, and economic vitality. As the third-largest city in the United States, Chicago serves as a bustling economic center, with a rich tapestry of industries driving its robust economy. At its core, Chicago's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as finance, technology, manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. The city is home to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, one of the world's largest futures and options exchanges, and boasts a thriving financial sector with major banks and investment firms headquartered in the downtown area. Additionally, Chicago's legacy as a manufacturing powerhouse continues to shape its economy, with companies in industries ranging from automotive to food processing calling the city home. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Chicago International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Chicago, Naperville, and across Illinois. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Chicago Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories ### International Tax Accountants Denver (CO) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – DENVER (CO) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Denver and across Colorado. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Denver International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Denver (CO) Nestled against the backdrop of the majestic Rocky Mountains, the business community of Denver, Colorado, embodies a dynamic blend of innovation, entrepreneurship, and outdoor lifestyle. As the capital city of Colorado, Denver serves as a vibrant economic hub with a diverse range of industries driving its thriving economy. At its core, Denver's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as technology, aerospace, energy, healthcare, and tourism. The city has emerged as a burgeoning technology hub, attracting startups and established companies alike with its skilled workforce, supportive ecosystem, and high quality of life. Additionally, Denver's proximity to major research institutions and federal laboratories has fostered innovation in industries such as aerospace and energy. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Denver International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Denver and across Colorado. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Denver Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories ### International Tax Accountants - Des Moines (IA) INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – DES MOINES (IA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Des Moines and across Iowa. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Des Moines International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Des Moines (IA) Nestled in the heartland of America, the business community of Des Moines, Iowa, reflects a blend of tradition, innovation, and community spirit. Situated amidst the rolling plains of the Midwest, Des Moines serves as a thriving economic center, anchored by diverse industries ranging from finance and insurance to agriculture and technology. At its core, Des Moines boasts a strong financial and insurance sector, with several major companies calling the city home. The downtown skyline is dotted with the headquarters of renowned insurance giants, showcasing Des Moines' stature as an insurance hub. Additionally, the city's robust agricultural industry contributes significantly to its economy, with many agribusinesses and food processing companies thriving in the region. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Des Moines International Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Des Moines and across Iowa. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Iowa Economic Data ### International Tax Accountants Detroit Dearborn (MI) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – DETROIT DEARBORN MICHIGAN Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Detroit, Dearborn and across Michigan. We focus our services on high-net-worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Michigan International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Detroit (MI) Nestled along the banks of the Detroit River, the business community of Detroit, Michigan, embodies a tale of resilience, reinvention, and revitalization. As a city with a storied past in automotive manufacturing, Detroit has weathered economic challenges and undergone transformation to emerge as a diverse hub of industry and innovation. At its core, Detroit's business landscape is anchored by a range of industries beyond automotive, including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and finance. While the automotive industry remains significant, the city has diversified its economic base to attract investment and spur growth in emerging sectors. Detroit's downtown area has experienced a resurgence, with a burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem, revitalized infrastructure, and a growing number of tech startups and innovation hubs. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Michigan International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Detroit, Dearborn and across Michigan. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Michigan Economic Profile ### Data Protection Impact Assessment Data Privacy Services: Data Protection Impact Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. To assess the level of risk, you must consider both the likelihood and the severity of any impact on data subjects.When is a DPIA required?Whenever processing is likely to result in high-risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals. Required at least in the following cases, under GDPR:A systematic and extensive evaluation of the personal aspects of an individual, including profiling;Processing of sensitive data on a large scale;Systematic monitoring of public areas on a large scaleIt is also good practice to perform a DPIA as a baseline or for any major initiative which requires the processing of personal data.Your DPIA must:Describe the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing;Assess necessity, proportionality and compliance measures;Identify and assess risks to and impact on data subjects; andIdentify any additional measures to mitigate those risks.Additional Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesBusiness Process and Data FlowA critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Learn MoreData Privacy Control AssessmentRegardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. Learn MoreNIST Privacy Framework ComplianceThe NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. Learn MorePrivacy by DesignOur approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture. Privacy Regulations and CompliancePrepare your organization for compliance with data privacy regulations including GDPR, CPRA, CCPA, New York SHIELD Act, GLBA and HIPAA. Learn MoreAbout Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesAt Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance.Learn more about our Data Privacy Services or contact us for more information. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Data Privacy Services Data Privacy Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Data is one of the most valued and targeted assets across all industries and organizations, which is why it is critical to know how to effectively manage and protect it. With the technology and regulatory landscape constantly changing, the methods organizations take to protect the privacy of data should also constantly evolve.An effective data privacy program can be a business differentiator within your market and industry. By being transparent with your data practices, answering customer concerns upfront, along with the ability to show that employees with access to customer data are regularly trained, will collectively help gain and retain customer trust to differentiate your business amongst competitors and in-turn speed up the sales cycle.Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesBusiness Process and Data FlowA critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Learn MoreData Privacy Control AssessmentRegardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. Learn MoreData Protection Impact Assessment A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. Learn MoreNIST Privacy Framework ComplianceThe NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. Learn MorePrivacy by DesignOur approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture. Privacy Regulations and CompliancePrepare your organization for compliance with data privacy regulations including GDPR, CPRA, CCPA, New York SHIELD Act, GLBA and HIPAA. Learn MoreWhy Do You Need a Data Privacy Program?The following are key reasons to develop your organization’s Data Privacy Program:Be a good corporate citizenCompetitive differentiatorContinually monitor, maintain and improve the privacy programContinue to meet regulatory compliance obligationsEnhance the organization’s reputation/brandEntry into new marketsFacilitate privacy awareness of employees, customers, partners and service providersIncrease value/quality of dataMeet client/consumer expectationsPromote consumer trust and confidenceReduce risk to and respond effectively to privacy breachesSchneider Downs Data Privacy ResourcesSchneider Downs Service Overview – Data Privacy ServicesSchneider Downs Whitepaper – Top Ten Privacy Trends for 2021Schneider Downs Infographic – Top Ten Privacy Trends for 2021Schneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ Articles – IT Risk AdvisorySchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ Articles – CybersecurityAbout Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesAt Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance.Ready to Get Started?For more information on how we can help your data privacy needs please contact us. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us Our Thoughts On Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Over...Now What? As October comes to an end, so does Cybersecurity Awareness Month. However, that doesn’t mean our focus on security awareness… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Purple Teaming Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Purple Teaming. In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Governance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cybersecurity Governance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Insurance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cyber Insurance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Deepfake Scams – A Growing Threat Deepfake-driven fraud remains a top concern for CISOs and security professionals, as the frequency and complexity of these scams continue… Read More > ### Data Privacy Control Assessment Data Privacy Services: Data Privacy Control Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Is your Data Privacy program effective? Regardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. The evolving technology landscape is placing more pressure on organizations to not only understand but effectively manage data security and privacy, which is the top technology challenge organizations face today.However, it is critical to understand the difference between data privacy and security. Security strives to safeguard data, whereas privacy strives to safeguard a person’s identity. Therefore, these are not one and the same and rather you need both to be effective in helping protect your organization and its most critical data assets. While good cybersecurity is important, it doesn’t address all privacy risks.Our audit approach not only takes into account the IT landscape for the lifecycle of personal data, but also the business landscape to ensure the IT and business strategies align from the collection, transmission, storage, disposal and overall protection of this personal data throughout its lifecycle.  We also ensure we understand the industry and regulatory compliance requirements of the organization within our approach, as we know there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to data privacy.Additional Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesBusiness Process and Data FlowA critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Learn MoreData Protection Impact Assessment A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. Learn MoreNIST Privacy Framework ComplianceThe NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. Learn MorePrivacy by DesignOur approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture.  Privacy Regulations and CompliancePrepare your organization for compliance with data privacy regulations including GDPR, CPRA, CCPA, New York SHIELD Act, GLBA and HIPAA. Learn MoreAbout Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesAt Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance.Learn more about our Data Privacy Services or contact us for more information. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### SOC Case Study - Data Center/Secure Application Host SOC Case Study - Data Center/Secure Application Host Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSchneider Downs completed a Service Organization Control (SOC) report for a leading provider of scalable and secure application hosting, virtualization and data center solutions.The client services businesses across the United States, while maintaining technical certifications and partner relationships with Microsoft, VMWare, EMC, Citrix Systems, Cisco and Liebert. A senior engineer shared his thoughts on working with Schneider Downs on the SOC Report.Why did you want a Service Organization Control (SOC) Report?We manage a vast number of clients and their data. We felt that we needed to have controls in place so our customers know that we are providing the services we say we are, and following the procedures we have in place. Some of our customers fall under Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), and having a Type II SOC report over our managed data center services also helped with their SOX compliance.Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC report?Schneider Downs was highly recommended by a local CPA we know and, after meeting with them, we couldn’t agree more.How long have you worked with Schneider Downs?We have worked with Schneider Downs since 2009.Can you describe your experience working with Schneider Downs?The firm has been great to work with. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. They are always a phone call or email away, and their response time is great.How has your SOC report process been beneficial?We have been able to provide the report to our customers and put their minds at ease that their data is being protected. The SOC report process also has helped us internally identify risks that have now been mitigated by the procedures we put in place. This protects us…and our customers.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at www.schneiderdowns.com/soc. ### International Tax Accountants - Edmonton (AB) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – EDMONTON (AB) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Edmonton and across Alberta. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Edmonton International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services, including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). About Edmonton (AB) Nestled in the heart of Alberta, Canada, the business community of Edmonton exudes a unique blend of resilience, innovation, and diversity. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies and the expansive prairies, Edmonton serves as a vibrant economic center, deeply rooted in the province's rich history of resource development and entrepreneurship. At its core, Edmonton's business landscape is shaped by its strong ties to the energy sector, particularly oil and gas. The city is home to numerous energy companies and engineering firms, reflecting its pivotal role in Alberta's energy industry. However, Edmonton has also diversified its economy in recent years, embracing emerging sectors such as technology, healthcare, and education. Contact Our Edmonton International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S. based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Edmonton and across Alberta. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Alberta Economic Profile ### International Tax Accountants Hartford Middletown CT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – HARTFORD MIDDLETOWN (CT) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in  Hartford, Middletown and across Connecticut. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Connecticut International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Hartford (CT) Nestled along the banks of the Connecticut River, the business community of Hartford, Connecticut, embodies a rich blend of history, innovation, and resilience. As the capital city of the state, Hartford serves as a vibrant economic hub with a diverse array of industries driving its economy. At its core, Hartford's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as insurance, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and education. The city has long been recognized as the Insurance Capital of the World, home to many major insurance companies and institutions. Additionally, Hartford boasts a strong presence in the financial sector, with banks, investment firms, and financial services companies contributing to its economic vitality. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Hartford International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Hartford, Middletown, and across Connecticut. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Hartford Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories Source: Trade.gov ### International Tax Accountants - Indianapolis (IN) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – INDIANAPOLIS (IN) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Indianapolis and across Indiana. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Indianapolis International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Indianapolis (IN) Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, the business community of Indianapolis, Indiana, embodies a unique blend of tradition, innovation, and collaboration. Surrounded by the rolling plains of the Hoosier State, Indianapolis serves as a bustling economic hub, fueled by diverse industries ranging from manufacturing and logistics to technology and life sciences. At its core, Indianapolis boasts a strong manufacturing heritage, with a legacy that dates back to the city's founding. The automotive and aerospace sectors play a prominent role in the local economy, with several major companies operating production facilities in the region. Additionally, Indianapolis has emerged as a center for innovation and entrepreneurship, with a growing number of startups and tech companies choosing to call the city home. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Indianapolis International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Indianapolis and across Indiana. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Indiana Economic Export Data ### International Tax Accountants - Lexington (KY) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – LEXINGTON (KY) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Lexington and across Kentucky. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure that appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Lexington International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters About Lexington (KY) Nestled in the picturesque Bluegrass region of Kentucky, the business community of Lexington epitomizes a harmonious blend of tradition, innovation, and community pride. Surrounded by the rolling hills and lush pastures that define the area, Lexington serves as a vibrant economic center deeply rooted in the state's rich history of agriculture, equestrianism, and bourbon distilling. At its core, Lexington's business landscape is shaped by its strong ties to the equine industry, earning it the nickname "Horse Capital of the World." The city's renowned horse farms, breeding operations, and equine-related businesses contribute significantly to its economy and cultural identity. Moreover, Lexington boasts a thriving healthcare sector, anchored by world-class medical facilities and research institutions. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Lexington International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Lexington and across Kentucky. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Kentucky Export Data ### International Business Tax Accountants - Lincoln Omaha (NE) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – LINCOLN OMAHA (NE) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Lincoln, Omaha, and across Nebraska. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Omaha International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Omaha (NE) Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, Omaha, Nebraska's business community epitomizes resilience, innovation, and a strong sense of community. Rooted in its pioneer spirit and entrepreneurial ethos, Omaha boasts a diverse economic landscape shaped by a blend of traditional industries and emerging sectors. At its core, Omaha's business community is anchored by stalwart industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and finance. The city's strategic location at the crossroads of major transportation routes has historically made it a hub for distribution and logistics, with companies leveraging its proximity to railroads and interstate highways for efficient movement of goods. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Lincoln International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Omaha, Lincoln, and across Nebraska. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Nebraska Export Data ### International Tax Accountants - Manchester (NH) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – MANCHESTER (NH) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Manchester and across New Hampshire. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Manchester International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Manchester (NH) Nestled along the banks of the Merrimack River, the business community of Manchester, New Hampshire, embodies a blend of industriousness, innovation, and New England charm. As the largest city in the Granite State, Manchester serves as a bustling economic hub, rooted in a diverse array of industries ranging from manufacturing and healthcare to technology and education. At its core, Manchester's business landscape reflects its rich industrial heritage, with a legacy dating back to the city's prominence in the textile mills of the 19th century. While manufacturing remains a significant part of the local economy, Manchester has diversified in recent decades, leveraging its strategic location and skilled workforce to attract companies in emerging sectors such as aerospace, biotechnology, and finance. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Manchester International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Manchester and across New Hampshire. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit New Hampshire Export Data ### International Tax CPAs Milwaukee Green Bay (WI) INTERNATIONAL TAX ACCOUNTANTS – MILWAUKEE GREEN BAY (WI) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Milwaukee, Green Bay and across Wisconsin. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Wisconsin International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Milwaukee (WI) The business community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a dynamic and resilient ecosystem deeply rooted in the city's industrial heritage and Midwestern values. Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee serves as a regional economic powerhouse, boasting a diverse range of industries and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. At its core, the Milwaukee business community is characterized by a strong manufacturing legacy, with companies ranging from heavy machinery to consumer goods. However, in recent years, Milwaukee has diversified its economy, with emerging sectors such as technology, healthcare, and financial services gaining prominence. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Wisconsin International Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and across Wisconsin. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: 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url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Wisconsin Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners ### International Tax CPA Minneapolis St Paul (MN) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL (MN) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Minneapolis, St. Paul and across Minnesota. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Minnesota International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Minneapolis (MN) The business community in Minneapolis, Minnesota is a dynamic and thriving ecosystem that reflects the city's rich history, diverse population, and innovative spirit. Situated in the heart of the Midwest, Minneapolis serves as a regional economic powerhouse, boasting a wide range of industries and sectors. At its core, the Minneapolis business community is characterized by a strong spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. The city is home to a vibrant startup scene, with numerous incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces nurturing the growth of new ventures across various industries. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Minnesota International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and across Minnesota. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Minnesota Economic Profile ### International Tax Accountants - Montreal (QC) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – MONTREAL (QC) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Montreal and across Quebec. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Montreal International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Montreal (QC) Nestled along the majestic Saint Lawrence River, the business community of Montreal, Quebec, is a vibrant tapestry woven with a rich history, cultural diversity, and entrepreneurial spirit. As the largest city in the province, Montreal serves as a dynamic economic hub, attracting businesses from a wide range of industries and fostering innovation and collaboration. At its core, Montreal's business landscape is shaped by its strong ties to sectors such as aerospace, technology, finance, and tourism. The city is home to a thriving aerospace industry, with major companies like Bombardier Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney Canada driving innovation and contributing significantly to the local economy. Additionally, Montreal has emerged as a leading technology hub in North America, with a burgeoning startup ecosystem and a strong presence of multinational tech giants. Contact Our Montreal International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Montreal and across Quebec. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Quebec Economic Profile ### International Tax Accountants - Newark (NJ) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – NEWARK (NJ) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Newark and across New Jersey. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Newark International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters About Newark (NJ) Nestled along the Passaic River, the business community of Newark, New Jersey, represents a dynamic blend of resilience, revitalization, and opportunity. As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Newark boasts a rich history deeply intertwined with its economic evolution. At its core, Newark's business landscape is anchored by its strategic location as a transportation hub. With proximity to major airports, seaports, and highways, the city serves as a vital gateway for commerce in the Northeast region. This accessibility has attracted businesses from a diverse range of industries, including finance, healthcare, education, and technology. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Newark International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Newark and across New Jersey. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit New Jersey Export Data ### International Tax Accountants - Ottawa (ON) U.S. INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – OTTAWA (ON) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves international companies in Ottawa and across Ontario. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Ottawa International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Ottawa (ON) Nestled along the scenic banks of the Ottawa River, the business community of Ottawa, Canada, embodies a dynamic blend of innovation, collaboration, and government influence. As the nation's capital, Ottawa serves as a bustling economic center, characterized by a diverse array of industries and a unique blend of cultural heritage. At its core, Ottawa's business landscape is shaped by its strong ties to government and technology sectors. The city is home to numerous federal government agencies, departments, and embassies, driving demand for professional services, consulting, and legal expertise. Additionally, Ottawa has emerged as a thriving technology hub, with a vibrant ecosystem of startups, research institutions, and multinational tech companies specializing in areas such as telecommunications, software development, and cybersecurity. Contact Our Ottawa International Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Ottawa and across Ontario. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Ontario Economic Profile ### International Tax Accountants - Portland (OR) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – PORTLAND (OR) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Portland and across Oregon. We focus our services on high-net-worth business owners and those with significant cross-border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your global business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors must stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is essential to carefully assess international business activities to ensure that appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Portland International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services, including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters About Portland (OR) Nestled between the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the serene waters of the Willamette River, the business community of Portland, Oregon, embodies a unique blend of creativity, sustainability, and entrepreneurial spirit. Known for its vibrant culture, lush green spaces, and progressive values, Portland's business landscape reflects the city's commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship. At its core, Portland's business community thrives on a diverse array of industries, ranging from technology and manufacturing to food and beverage. The city's reputation as a hub for creativity and innovation has attracted a thriving startup ecosystem, with entrepreneurs drawn to its supportive network of incubators, co-working spaces, and venture capital firms. Additionally, Portland's focus on sustainability is evident in its thriving green economy, with businesses prioritizing eco-friendly practices, renewable energy, and sustainable development. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Portland International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Portland and across Oregon. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Oregon Economic Profile ### International Tax Accountants - Regina (SK) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – REGINA (SK) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Regina and across Saskatchewan. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Regina International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada, including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Regina (SK) Nestled on the vast plains of Saskatchewan, the business community of Regina embodies a blend of resilience, resourcefulness, and community spirit. As the capital city of the province, Regina serves as a vital economic center, characterized by its diverse industries and strong sense of local pride. At its core, Regina's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as agriculture, mining, energy, and manufacturing. The city's strategic location in the heart of Canada's agricultural belt has made it a hub for agribusiness and food processing companies. Additionally, Regina benefits from its proximity to natural resources such as potash, oil, and natural gas, which drive economic activity in the region. Contact Our Regina International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Regina and across Saskatchewan. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Saskatchewan Economic Profile ### International Tax CPAs Seattle Bellevue (WA) INTERNATIONAL TAX ACCOUNTANTS – SEATTLE BELLEVUE (WA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Seattle, Bellevue, and across Washington. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Seattle International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Seattle (WA) The business community in Seattle, Washington, reflects the city's reputation as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and progressive values. Nestled between the Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains, Seattle's economic landscape is characterized by a diverse array of industries, from technology and aerospace to healthcare and retail. At its core, the Seattle business community thrives on innovation, driven by the presence of tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and numerous startups. This culture of innovation is further bolstered by the city's renowned research institutions and vibrant venture capital scene, which attract top talent and investment from around the world. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Seattle International Tax CPAs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Seattle, Bellevue, and across Washington.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: 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url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Washington Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories ### International Business Tax Memphis TN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – MEMPHIS NASHVILLE (TN) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Memphis, Nashville and Tennessee. We focus our services on high-net-worth business owners and those with significant cross-border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Memphis (TN) International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Memphis (TN) The Memphis business community epitomizes resilience and innovation amidst a backdrop of historical significance and modern challenges. Rooted in the city's rich cultural heritage and strategic geographical location along the Mississippi River, this community boasts a diverse array of enterprises spanning various sectors. At its core, the Memphis business landscape reflects a blend of traditional industries such as logistics and transportation, healthcare, and manufacturing, alongside emerging sectors like technology and entrepreneurship. The city's status as a transportation hub, facilitated by its robust infrastructure and the presence of major shipping companies like FedEx, has propelled its prominence in the global supply chain. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Tennessee International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Memphis, Nashville and Tennessee.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Tennessee Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners ### International Tax Accountants - Toronto (ON) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – TORONTO (ON) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Toronto and across Ontario. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Toronto International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Toronto (ON) Nestled along the shores of Lake Ontario, the business community of Toronto, Ontario, represents a dynamic tapestry of diversity, innovation, and economic vitality. As Canada's largest city and financial capital, Toronto serves as a bustling hub for commerce, culture, and opportunity. At its core, Toronto's business landscape is anchored by a diverse array of industries, including finance, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and media. The city is home to Canada's largest stock exchange and headquarters of major banks, investment firms, and financial institutions, cementing its status as a global financial center. Additionally, Toronto boasts a thriving technology sector, with a burgeoning ecosystem of startups, incubators, and research institutions driving innovation and entrepreneurship. Contact Our Toronto International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Toronto and across Ontario. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Ontario Economic Profile ### Schneider Downs and the Construction Industry Schneider Downs and the Construction Industry Schneider Downs has extensive experience in the Construction Industry:Provide services to 10 of the largest Tri-state construction contractors. Provides services to 7 of the largest Tri-state specialty contractors.Provides more than 40,000 hours of services annually to industry group clients.Performs 20-30 engineering-based cost segregation studies on an annual basis.Actively involved in various industry-related associations, such as:Association for General Contractors (AGC)Builders Exchange of Central Ohio (BX)Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA)Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania (CAWP)Master Builders Association of Western Pennsylvania (MBA)National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP)Ohio Contractors Association (OCA) Do you want to learn how Schneider Downs can help your construction company?Contact our Construction Industry Group Leaders today:  Gennaro J. DiBelloThis advice is not intended or written to be used for, and it cannot be used for, the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties that may be imposed, or for promoting, marketing or recommending to another person, any tax related matter.Subscribe to our free Construction Industry newsletter.Sign up here:* required "*" indicates required fields CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.Name*Company Name*Email Address* Submit * required ### International Tax Accountants - Vancouver (BC) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – VANCOUVER (BC) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Vancouver and across British Columbia. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Vancouver International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services, including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). About Vancouver (BC) Nestled between the rugged Coast Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the business community of Vancouver, British Columbia, embodies a unique blend of natural beauty, innovation, and cultural diversity. As one of Canada's largest metropolitan areas, Vancouver serves as a vibrant economic center with a diverse range of industries and opportunities. At its core, Vancouver's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as technology, natural resources, tourism, and international trade. The city's strategic location on the West Coast of Canada makes it a gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, facilitating trade and investment with countries around the world. Additionally, Vancouver's burgeoning technology sector has gained international recognition, with startups and established companies alike drawn to the city's supportive ecosystem and skilled workforce. Contact Our Vancouver International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Vancouver and across British Columbia. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 0.292893C3.48043 0.105357 3.73478 0 4 0ZM0.292893 9.29289C0.683417 8.90237 1.31658 8.90237 1.70711 9.29289L4 11.5858L6.29289 9.29289C6.68342 8.90237 7.31658 8.90237 7.70711 9.29289C8.09763 9.68342 8.09763 10.3166 7.70711 10.7071L4.70711 13.7071C4.31658 14.0976 3.68342 14.0976 3.29289 13.7071L0.292893 10.7071C-0.0976311 10.3166 -0.0976311 9.68342 0.292893 9.29289Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-select: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='10' height='6' viewBox='0 0 10 6' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M0.292893 0.292893C0.683417 -0.097631 1.31658 -0.097631 1.70711 0.292893L5 3.58579L8.29289 0.292893C8.68342 -0.0976311 9.31658 -0.0976311 9.70711 0.292893C10.0976 0.683417 10.0976 1.31658 9.70711 1.70711L5.70711 5.70711C5.31658 6.09763 4.68342 6.09763 4.29289 5.70711L0.292893 1.70711C-0.0976311 1.31658 -0.0976311 0.683418 0.292893 0.292893Z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit British Columbia Trade Details ### International Tax Accountants Providence Warwick (RI) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – PROVIDENCE WARWICK (RI) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Providence, Warwick and across Rhode Island. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Rhode Island International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Providence (RI) Nestled along the scenic Narragansett Bay, the business community of Providence, Rhode Island, exudes a rich tapestry of history, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. As the capital city of Rhode Island, Providence serves as a dynamic economic center with a diverse range of industries driving its economy. At its core, Providence's business landscape is anchored by sectors such as education, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and tourism. The city is home to renowned institutions like Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), which foster innovation and talent in fields such as research, design, and the arts. Additionally, Providence boasts a thriving healthcare sector, with world-class hospitals and medical research facilities contributing to the city's economic vitality. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Rhode Island International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Providence, Warwick, and across Rhode Island. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Rhode Island Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Categories Source: Trade.gov ### International Tax Accountants - Windsor (ON) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – WINDSOR (ON) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Windsor and across Ontario. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Windsor International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters National Reach Schneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB). Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Windsor (ON) Nestled along the scenic shores of the Detroit River, the business community of Windsor, Ontario, exudes a blend of resilience, innovation, and cross-border collaboration. Situated directly across from Detroit, Michigan, Windsor serves as a vital economic link between Canada and the United States, facilitating trade, manufacturing, and investment opportunities. At its core, Windsor's business landscape is anchored by industries such as automotive manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and agribusiness. With its proximity to the automotive hub of Detroit, Windsor has established itself as a key player in the global automotive supply chain, home to major automotive assembly plants and supplier facilities. Additionally, the city's strategic location along major transportation routes, including highways, railways, and the Windsor-Detroit International Border Crossing, enhances its role as a transportation and logistics hub. Contact Our Windsor International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Windsor and across Ontario. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-color-in-ctrl: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-in-ctrl-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-in-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-in-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65);--gf-radius: 3px;--gf-font-size-secondary: 14px;--gf-font-size-tertiary: 13px;--gf-icon-ctrl-number: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg width='8' height='14' viewBox='0 0 8 14' fill='none' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cpath fill-rule='evenodd' clip-rule='evenodd' d='M4 0C4.26522 5.96046e-08 4.51957 0.105357 4.70711 0.292893L7.70711 3.29289C8.09763 3.68342 8.09763 4.31658 7.70711 4.70711C7.31658 5.09763 6.68342 5.09763 6.29289 4.70711L4 2.41421L1.70711 4.70711C1.31658 5.09763 0.683417 5.09763 0.292893 4.70711C-0.0976311 4.31658 -0.097631 3.68342 0.292893 3.29289L3.29289 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0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-icon-ctrl-search: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Ontario Economic Profile ### Cloud Strategy What is a cloud strategy? PRIMARY CONTACT: Patrick B. Armknecht CPA, CITPA cloud strategy is the means by which you migrate on premise solutions to cloud (internet based) solutions. Cloud computing can include software, servers, storage, databases, etc.Fluff – Specific to questionApplicable Service Offerings CLOUD MIGRATION HAVE A QUESTION? "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit OUR THOUGHTS ON Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? Manufacturers whose activities consist of the development of new or improved business products or processes may be eligible for federal… Read More > Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Since our dedicated IT Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity professionals are so heavily involved with ISACA, I jumped at the opportunity… Read More > Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Having financial freedom means doing the things you want to do when you want to do them without having to… Read More > Holiday Spending and Budgeting Even though the holiday season is something most of us look forward to, it has a way of sneaking up… Read More > ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS On December 4th, 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) produced its final regulatory technical standards (RTS) regarding the… Read More > ### U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – WINNIPEG (MB) U.S. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – WINNIPEG (MB) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients international companies in Winnipeg and across Manitoba. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Winnipeg International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 U.S.-based CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. National ReachSchneider Downs provides U.S. international tax consulting services to businesses located across Canada including Montreal (QC), Calgary (AB), Toronto (ON), Regina (SK), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), and Winnipeg (MB).Map of Winnipeg, MB About Winnipeg (MB)Winnipeg is known for its cultural diversity, arts and music scene, and its natural beauty. The city is home to several museums and art galleries, including the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which is the first museum in the world dedicated to the subject.The city is also known for its festivals and events, such as the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, and the Festival du Voyageur, a winter festival celebrating the city's French-Canadian heritage.Contact Our Winnipeg International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a U.S.-based Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Winnipeg and across Manitoba. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Manitoba Economic Profile ### International Tax CPA Anchorage Juneau AK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – ANCHORAGE JUNEAU (AK) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Anchorage and Juneau. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Anchorage International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit, and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Anchorage (AK) Anchorage is known for its famous landmarks, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which celebrates the state's Native cultures and history. The city is also home to several museums, including the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center and the Alaska Aviation Museum. Anchorage's economy is based on several industries, including oil and gas, tourism, and government. The city serves as a hub for transportation, with an international airport and several major highways connecting it to the rest of the state and the Lower 48 states. Anchorage is also home to several government offices, including the Alaska State Capitol and the offices of several state agencies. The city's tourism industry is also significant, with visitors coming to explore the city's natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Alaska International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Anchorage, Juneau and across Alaska.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_30[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="30_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: 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url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg version='1.1' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='640' height='640'%3E%3Cpath d='M256 128c-70.692 0-128 57.308-128 128 0 70.691 57.308 128 128 128 70.691 0 128-57.309 128-128 0-70.692-57.309-128-128-128zM64 256c0-106.039 85.961-192 192-192s192 85.961 192 192c0 41.466-13.146 79.863-35.498 111.248l154.125 154.125c12.496 12.496 12.496 32.758 0 45.254s-32.758 12.496-45.254 0L367.248 412.502C335.862 434.854 297.467 448 256 448c-106.039 0-192-85.962-192-192z' fill='rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.65)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--gf-label-space-y-secondary: var(--gf-label-space-y-md-secondary);--gf-ctrl-border-color: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-size: var(--gf-ctrl-size-md);--gf-ctrl-label-color-primary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-label-color-secondary: #112337;--gf-ctrl-choice-size: var(--gf-ctrl-choice-size-md);--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-checkbox-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size: var(--gf-ctrl-radio-check-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-font-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-padding-x-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-size: var(--gf-ctrl-btn-size-md);--gf-ctrl-btn-border-color-secondary: #686e77;--gf-ctrl-file-btn-bg-color-hover: #EBEBEB;--gf-field-pg-steps-number-color: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.8);} "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Alaska International Trade Data ### International Tax CPA Detroit MI INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – DETROIT (MI) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Detroit and across Michigan. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Detroit International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit, and tax needs of entrepreneurs and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Detroit (MI)Nestled along the shores of the Detroit River, the business community of Detroit, Michigan, embodies a tale of resilience, reinvention, and economic revival. Once known primarily for its automotive industry, Detroit has diversified its economy and emerged as a dynamic hub of innovation across various sectors.At its core, Detroit's business landscape is anchored by industries such as automotive manufacturing, technology, healthcare, finance, and professional services. While the automotive sector remains a significant driver of the local economy, the city has embraced new industries, including advanced manufacturing, mobility technologies, and renewable energy. Additionally, Detroit's downtown area has experienced a revitalization, with a burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem, revitalized infrastructure, and a growing number of startups and innovation hubs.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Michigan International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Detroit and across Michigan.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPA Honolulu Hawaii INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – HONOLULU KONA (HI) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Honolulu and Kona. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Honolulu International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit, and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Honolulu (HI)The business community in Honolulu, Hawaii is a vibrant and diverse landscape that reflects the unique cultural and economic dynamics of the region. Situated in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, Honolulu serves as a major hub for commerce, tourism, and innovation in Hawaii and the broader Pacific Rim.At its core, the business community in Honolulu is deeply influenced by the spirit of aloha, which emphasizes respect, hospitality, and collaboration. This ethos permeates through various sectors, fostering a supportive and interconnected network of businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Hawaii International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Honolulu, Kona and across Hawaii  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPA - Los Angeles CA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – LOS ANGELES (CA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Los Angeles and across California. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Los Angeles International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. What Our Clients Say...About Los Angeles (CA)Nestled amidst the vibrant sprawl of Southern California, the business community of Los Angeles embodies a kaleidoscope of innovation, diversity, and cultural richness. As the second-largest city in the United States and a global hub of commerce, Los Angeles serves as a dynamic epicenter for a wide array of industries, from entertainment and technology to fashion, finance, and healthcare.At its core, Los Angeles is synonymous with the entertainment industry, boasting the world-renowned Hollywood district and major film studios that shape global pop culture. However, the city's economic landscape extends far beyond entertainment, with thriving sectors such as technology, aerospace, manufacturing, logistics, and tourism contributing to its economic vitality. Los Angeles is also home to a robust startup ecosystem, attracting entrepreneurs and venture capital to fuel innovation and growth.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Los Angeles International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Los Angeles and across California. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPA - Phoenix AZ INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – PHOENIX (AZ) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Phoenix and across Arizona. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Phoenix International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross-border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross-border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic, international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit, and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Phoenix (AZ)The business community in Phoenix, Arizona, epitomizes the dynamic spirit of the American Southwest, blending innovation, diversity, and resilience against the backdrop of a thriving desert metropolis. Situated in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix has emerged as a hub for a wide array of industries, ranging from technology and aerospace to healthcare and tourism.One of the defining features of Phoenix's business landscape is its rapid growth and expansion. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, Phoenix attracts businesses and entrepreneurs seeking new opportunities and a favorable business climate. The city's strategic location, well-developed infrastructure, and pro-business policies make it an attractive destination for companies looking to establish a presence in the Southwest.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Phoenix International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Phoenix and across Arizona. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US Subscribe to the SD Global Navigator, our free quarterly e-newsletter.Sign up here: "*" indicates required fields Name*Company Name*Email Address* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPA Portland Bangor (ME) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – PORTLAND BANGOR (ME) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Portland and Bangor. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Portland International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit, and tax needs of entrepreneurs and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Portland (ME)The business community in Portland, Maine is a dynamic and close-knit ecosystem that reflects the city's unique blend of historic charm and modern innovation. Nestled along the picturesque shores of Casco Bay, Portland serves as the economic hub of Maine, attracting businesses from diverse industries and sectors.At its heart, the Portland business community is defined by a spirit of collaboration and creativity. Local entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive alongside established companies, fostering a supportive environment for growth and innovation. The city's vibrant arts and culture scene, coupled with its strong culinary reputation, adds to its allure, attracting both tourists and investors alike.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Maine International  Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Portland, Bangor, and across Maine.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPA Santa Fe Albuquerque (NM) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – SANTA FE ALBUQUERQUE (NM) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Albuquerque International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit, and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Santa Fe (NM)The business community in Santa Fe, New Mexico, reflects the city's unique blend of history, culture, and creativity. Situated in the high desert of northern New Mexico, Santa Fe is renowned for its vibrant arts scene, adobe architecture, and rich Native American and Hispanic heritage.At the heart of Santa Fe's business community is a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation, which is deeply intertwined with the city's cultural identity. Local artisans, galleries, and independent retailers contribute to the city's reputation as a hub for the arts and crafts, attracting visitors from around the world.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our New Mexico International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Santa Fe and across New Mexico.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPA - Seattle (WA) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – SEATTLE (WA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Seattle and across Washington. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Seattle International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Seattle (WA)Nestled along the shores of the majestic Puget Sound, the business community of Seattle, Washington, is a vibrant tapestry of innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic dynamism. As the largest city in the Pacific Northwest and a global tech hub, Seattle serves as a beacon of innovation across a diverse range of industries.At its core, Seattle's business landscape is anchored by the technology sector, with giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and numerous startups shaping the city's economy. The city's thriving tech scene has fostered a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, attracting talent and investment from around the world. Additionally, Seattle boasts a strong presence in other industries, including aerospace, healthcare, biotechnology, retail, and maritime trade.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Seattle International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Seattle and across Washington. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPAs Anchorage Juneau (AK) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – ANCHORAGE JUNEAU (AK) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Anchorage, Juneau, and across Alaska. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Anchorage International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Anchorage (AK) The business community in Anchorage, Alaska, is a resilient and diverse network that thrives amidst the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the state's rugged terrain and extreme climate. Anchorage serves as the economic hub of Alaska, providing a wide range of goods and services to both residents and visitors alike. At its core, the Anchorage business community is characterized by a spirit of independence and entrepreneurship, reflecting the pioneering ethos of the region's early settlers. From small family-owned businesses to large corporations, there is a strong sense of community and collaboration that permeates throughout the city. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Alaska International Business Tax CPAs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Anchorage, Juneau, and across Alaska.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. 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Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Alaska Economic Data ### Client Login Client Login Schneider Downs Client Portal TaxCaddy Login SafeSend Returns Login QuickFee Client Portal Wealth Management Logins Charles Schwab 401(K) PLAN LOGIN Elite Money Portal Orion Client Portal Fidelity Investments ### International Tax CPAs Billings Missoula (MT) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – BILLINGS MISSOULA (MT) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Billings, Missoula, and across Montana. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Billings International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Billings (MT)The business community in Billings, Montana, embodies the spirit of the American West, characterized by resilience, entrepreneurship, and a strong sense of community. As the largest city in Montana, Billings serves as a vital economic hub for the region, attracting businesses from various industries and sectors.At its heart, the Billings business community is deeply rooted in the region's natural resources, including agriculture, energy, and mining. These industries have long been pillars of the local economy, providing employment opportunities and driving economic growth.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Montana International Business Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Billings, Missoula, and across Montana.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPAs Fargo Bismarck (ND) INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – FARGO BISMARCK (ND) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in  Fargo, Bismarck, and across North Dakota. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Fargo International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Fargo (ND)The business community in Fargo, North Dakota, epitomizes resilience, collaboration, and innovation against the backdrop of the Midwest's vast plains. Despite being a relatively small city, Fargo boasts a thriving economy supported by a diverse range of industries.At its core, Fargo's business landscape is characterized by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a supportive environment for startups and small businesses. The city's close-knit community fosters collaboration and networking opportunities, enabling entrepreneurs to thrive and innovate.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Fargo International Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Fargo, Bismarck, and across North Dakota. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPAs Las Vegas (NV) INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – LAS VEGAS (NV) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Las Vegas and across Nevada. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Las Vegas International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Las Vegas (NV)The business community in Las Vegas, Nevada, pulsates with energy and diversity, mirroring the city's reputation as the entertainment capital of the world. Beyond the glitz and glamour of the famed Strip, Las Vegas boasts a thriving economy fueled by a variety of industries and enterprises.Central to the Las Vegas business community is the hospitality and tourism sector, which forms the backbone of the city's economy. With world-class resorts, casinos, and entertainment venues, Las Vegas attracts millions of visitors annually, generating revenue and employment opportunities for businesses across the spectrum.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Las Vegas International Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Las Vegas and across Nevada. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPAs Honolulu (HI) INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – HONOLULU (HI) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Honolulu and across Hawaii. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Honolulu International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Honolulu (HI)The business community in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a vibrant tapestry woven with the threads of island culture, global commerce, and natural beauty. Situated as the capital and economic center of Hawaii, Honolulu's business landscape is unique, blending the traditional with the modern.At its heart, the Honolulu business community is infused with the spirit of aloha, fostering relationships built on respect, collaboration, and hospitality. This cultural ethos permeates through various sectors, creating a supportive environment for businesses of all sizes.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Honolulu International Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Honolulu and across Hawaii.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPAs New Orleans (LA) INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – NEW ORLEANS (LA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in New Orleans and across Louisiana. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.New Orleans International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About New Orleans (LA)The business community in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a vibrant tapestry interwoven with the city's rich cultural heritage, entrepreneurial spirit, and unique economic landscape. Situated along the banks of the Mississippi River, New Orleans is renowned for its historic architecture, diverse cuisine, and lively music scene, all of which contribute to the city's distinctive business environment.At the heart of the New Orleans business community is a deep-rooted sense of resilience, shaped by the city's history of overcoming adversity, including natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Despite these challenges, New Orleans has emerged as a thriving hub for various industries, including tourism, hospitality, entertainment, and maritime commerce.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our New Orleans International Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in New Orleans and across Louisiana.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Tax CPAs Salt Lake City (UT) INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – SALT LAKE CITY (UT) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Salt Lake City, and across Utah. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Salt Lake City International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Salt Lake City (UT)The business community in Salt Lake City, Utah, embodies a unique blend of entrepreneurial vigor, economic diversity, and cultural heritage set against the backdrop of the stunning Wasatch Mountains. Situated in the heart of the Intermountain West, Salt Lake City serves as a hub for commerce, technology, and outdoor recreation.At its core, the Salt Lake City business community is characterized by a spirit of innovation and collaboration, nurtured by a supportive ecosystem that includes universities, research institutions, and a burgeoning startup scene. The city's business landscape is diverse, encompassing industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, outdoor recreation, and manufacturing.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Salt Lake City International Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Salt Lake City and across Utah.  If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Company*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Julie Ann M. Boles Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What has COVID-19 taught us about our businesses processes? If you’re like the employees of Schneider Downs, you haven’t seen the inside of your office since mid-March. The first… Read More > Processes Under Pressure COVID-19 has impacted work environments in ways never imagined. Teams, offices – even entire companies – have shifted to working… Read More > The Value of Business Process Analysis in your Succession Plan Are you planning to exit your business in the next 5-10 years? Have you thought about succession plans for your… Read More > ### CPE Month Webinar Series CPE Month Webinar Series: Tax When: December 1, 2022 9:00AM - December 1, 2022 12:00PMWe are pleased to invite you to participate in our free Continuing Professional Education (CPE) events held throughout the month of December. Our goal is to provide compelling and relevant content that is specific to the business matters most important to you and your organization. Feel free to sign up for one or all of the sessions via the link below. Once registered, you will receive an individual login link for each session. If you do not receive the confirmation emails, please get in touch with me at lsherrill@schneiderdowns.com.Tax Update3 CPE HoursTopics Covered to Include*:Federal Tax Update/IRS StatusCredits and IncentivesState Tax Update and OpportunitiesEstate Tax/Exit Planning*Topics subject to change. About Schneider Downs Tax AdvisorsWith one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives.Visit our Tax Services page to learn more. ### Thank You for Contacting Schneider Downs (permissions) Thank You for Contacting Schneider Downs Thank you for contacting Schneider Downs about posting information from our website. We will respond to your request within 24 hours. If you have any questions, please contact the permissions coordinator at 412-697-5321 or ssmith@schneiderdowns.com. ### Key Indicators Your Organization Can Benefit From Digital Transformation Digital Transformation can impact every part of an organization, with the primary focus being on transforming your human capital, processes and technology. But, how do you know which areas to focus on, and where do you even start? We invite you to download our whitepaper to learn some of the top indicators that your organization can benefit from a digital transformation.  For more information, contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit Digital Transformation.  Download the Content. Please fill out the form for your complimentary copy of Key Indicators Your Organization Can Benefit From Digital Transformation whitepaper. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Download Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Introducing....TaxCaddy Tax simplification has arrived. Schneider Downs is proud to introduce TaxCaddy, a safe, secure software solution that will reduce the amount of time you spend collecting your annual tax data. TaxCaddy leverages the capabilities of today’s technology to make it easier for you to send us the materials needed to complete your annual Form 1040.Whether you use a PC, Mac, tablet, or mobile phone, TaxCaddy has the capability to retrieve your Form 1099s, Form 1098s and W-2s directly from the payor, bank, and your employer, and send them electronically to your Schneider Downs tax engagement team.  Documents that you choose not to link can be scanned and uploaded or, perhaps even more convenient, photographed when they arrive in the mail using the TaxCaddy mobile application.  No more paper, stamps or envelopes!In addition to easily capturing and securely storing tax documents, your TaxCaddy account maintains a complete inventory of your tax data, including a record of all the information that has been reported on your past returns.  Simple questions regarding changes in your tax position can be answered with the click of a button.  Simplifying the tax data gathering process is an innovation that provides convenience for our clients, while allowing our professionals to focus on tax planning strategies.We realize you may have questions about this new program and  invite you to contact your Schneider Downs representative or William DeMarchi, TaxCaddy IT Support, with questions about getting started. https://www.youtube.com/embed/RWoYh-gqhEU ### YubiKey With more and more data breaches being reported every day, it is important to form strong security habits when online. One of the strongest steps you can take is enabling two-factor authentication. This type of authentication requires you first to provide your password, then another proof of identification. The second form of identification has many methods you are able to use, but the strongest method to ensure security is using a physical hardware key, such as a YubiKey. No additional software is necessary and the YubiKey only takes minutes to set up, and can help protect you from an attacker taking over your account.To learn more about your Yubikey and how to set it up for some of the most common online applications, please visit https://www.yubico.com/setup/#security-key. As a helpful guide, we have laid out Yubikey setup instructions for some of the most common applications below. Always remember to have a backup to the security key (SMS One Time Password, Backup Security Codes, Google Authenticator, etc.) in case you misplace your security key, these options vary per website.To learn more about our cybersecurity services and how we may assist you, please visit our website at Cybersecurity.GoogleNavigate to the 2-Step Verification section of your Google AccountSelect Get Started  and register a phone number for Google’s SMS 2FASelect Add Security KeySelect NextInsert the YubikeyTap the gold disk on your YubiKeyIn the top left, you’ll be asked if Google can see the make and model of your security key. Select AllowDuoLog into a Duo enabled application and select Add a New Device located on the left of the Duo portalSelect U2F Token for your authentication device Select ContinueInsert the YubiKey into your computerTap the gold disk on the YubiKeyFacebookNavigate to your Security and Login SettingsScroll down to Use two-factor authentication and select EditGo to Security Keys and select Add KeyInsert the YubiKey into your computerTap the gold disk on the YubiKeyTwitterNavigate to your profile icon, then select  Settings and PrivacyUnder Security, select Review Your Login Verification MethodsNext to Security Key, select Set Up Insert the YubiKey into your computerTap the gold disk on the YubiKeyDropboxNavigate to the Settings tab in your Dropbox AccountEnter the Security TabTurn the Two-step verification tab onSelect Add next to Security KeysInsert the YubiKey into your computerTap the gold disk on the YubiKeyIn the top left hand of your browser select Allow  ### Quality of Earnings Analysis - Memphis (TN) Quality of Earnings Reports - Memphis (TN) When it comes to buying or selling a Memphis or Tennessee business, ensuring the integrity of financial and non-financial information is crucial. At Schneider Downs, our experienced professionals specialize in providing comprehensive quality of earnings (QofE) and due diligence assessments for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. With our swift, precise, and discreet approach, we help buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms, and lenders make informed decisions with confidence. What is a Quality of Earnings Report? A Quality of Earnings (QoE) report is a financial analysis that assesses the sustainability and reliability of a company's earnings. It is typically conducted during the due diligence process, often in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), but it can also be used for internal purposes by companies and their stakeholders. The primary objective of a Quality of Earnings report is to provide a deeper understanding of a company's financial performance and the factors that may impact its future earnings potential. Buy-Side Due Diligence: Unleash the True Value of Your Investments Financial Statement Analysis: We conduct a detailed review of financial statements, evaluating the quality of earnings, identifying potential risks, and assessing the sustainability of earnings. This analysis provides you with a clear understanding of the target company's financial health, helping you make informed investment decisions Historical Data Analysis: Our team performs a thorough review of historical financial data, identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies that may impact future earnings. This analysis helps uncover any potential risks or opportunities that may affect your investment decision, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the target company's financial performance. Quality of Earnings Analysis: We assess the quality of earnings adjustments, including non-recurring items, non-operating income, and off-balance-sheet items, to ensure that earnings are reliable and sustainable. This analysis helps you make informed decisions based on accurate financial information, minimizing risks in your investment. Sell-Side Due Diligence: Maximize Your Exit Strategy Financial Performance Analysis: We conduct a detailed analysis of your financial performance, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance the quality of earnings. This analysis helps you position your business in the best possible light to potential buyers, maximizing the value of your business. Financial Statement Restatement Assistance: Our team can assist you in restating financial statements to ensure they are accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. This can enhance buyer confidence and streamline the due diligence process, ensuring a smooth and successful sale. Proactive Risk Identification: We identify potential risks that may impact the sale process and work with you to proactively address them, minimizing the likelihood of surprises during the due diligence process. Our proactive approach helps you mitigate risks and maximize the value of your business, ensuring a successful sale. Contact our Memphis QoE Team Schneider Downs provides Quality of Earnings reports to companies in Memphis and across Tennessee.  If you are interested in learning how we can assist you in your deal process, complete the form above and a team member will follow up with you promptly. National Reach Schneider Downs also provides QoE reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Birmingham (AL), Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Des Moines (IA), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Memphis (TN), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Orlando (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), San Diego (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Tampa (FL) and Wichita (KS). GET MORE INFORMATION "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About Memphis (TN) The business community in Memphis, Tennessee, is anchored by logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing. Home to FedEx’s global headquarters, the city is a major logistics hub with a strong transportation infrastructure. Healthcare plays a vital role, with institutions like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare driving economic growth. Memphis also has a strong manufacturing presence, particularly in the automotive and food processing industries. Its location along the Mississippi River enhances trade, while the city's rich cultural heritage supports tourism and hospitality. ### Request a Quote "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* PhoneService departments of interest* Audit and Assurance Tax Consulting Private Client Services Wealth Management Additional detailContact preference* Email Phone EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Automation and Data Analytics Process Team FAQs ADAPT FAQs The Schneider Downs Automation and Data Analytics Process Team (ADAPT) offers a lineup of descriptive, predictive and prescriptive data analytic services to help transform your unworkable data into actionable business insights. Below are some of the common questions our team comes across and some helpful tips when deciding if data analytics services is right for your organization. What industries and business functions are best suited for ADAPT? As an agnostic technology solution, data analytics provides numerous business advantages across the board. Recent engagements include: Installation and configuration of data warehouse, analytics and visualization tools into existing business processes Automation of business processes using data analytic procedures Implementation of custom dashboard reporting to assist in data management and communication Ad hoc data analytic projects using state of the art data analysis software and procedures Data readiness and best practice consulting Contract risk assessment and multi-faceted analytics package designed to manage risk Analytics to measure profitability and productivity of routes, drivers, day of the week and other time trends Fraud monitoring and detection procedures Litigation support Due diligence for M&A activity Can ADAPT provide quick and easy access to my data? Our team provides data warehousing solutions to help you access your data with ease and to remedy inefficient systems or disaggregated systems that do not talk to each other. Security based permissions provide the appropriate employees with secure access to data at their fingertips. Can ADAPT implement data analysis into everyday accounting or operational processes? Our team can identify opportunities to integrate data analysis into your day-to-day, monthly, quarterly or annual closing and reporting processes to provide you with more business insights to help run your business. Can ADAPT improve efficiency with day-to-day manual business processes? Our team can design and implement a tailored solution to automate and streamline manual reporting, planning and data analysis processes to allow the highest and best use of each employee’s time. Can ADAPT provide solutions for reports or data-sets that have outgrown the capabilities of standard office applications? Our team will use state-of-the-art data analytics and big-data solutions to develop a scalable model that can grow with your business. ADAPT DATA DISCOVERY FAQs CAN ADAPT IDENTIFY SOURCES OF ANOMALIES AND UNEXPECTED RESULTS? Our team can analyze your business to identify the root cause of abnormalities in your results.  By implementing these solutions at your company, we can create an environment for continuous monitoring, evaluating and notification of any anomalies or unexpected results in the future. CAN ADAPT EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF CERTAIN KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI’S) ON OUR RESULTS? Our team will examine KPI’s used by you and your team to determine their relevancy to your actual performance.  Focusing on factors with a perceived, but not actual, impact on end-results can lead to inappropriate business decisions and refocus your oversight on business intelligence that matters. CAN ADAPT HELP TO IDENTIFY NEW RELEVANT KPI’S FOR MONITORING OUR BUSINESS? Our team will consult with key stakeholders and decision makers to discuss, design and develop solutions to track and monitor new KPI’s relevant to the end-results of your company. CAN ADAPT PROVIDE ME WITH THE FOUNDATION TO EXECUTE AND GROW OUR DATA INITIATIVES? Our team will partner with you to evaluate your company’s data readiness, aid in consultation and execution of a data strategy, and we will help deploy solutions to carry you through all phases of your data journey. Our team can analyze your business to identify the root cause of abnormalities in your results.  By implementing these solutions at your company, we can create an environment for continuous monitoring, evaluating and notification of any anomalies or unexpected results in the future. Our team will examine KPI's used by you and your team to determine their relevancy to your actual performance.  Focusing on factors with a perceived, but not actual, impact on end-results can lead to inappropriate business decisions and refocus your oversight on business intelligence that matters. Our team will consult with key stakeholders and decision makers to discuss, design and develop solutions to track and monitor new KPI’s relevant to the end-results of your company. Our team will partner with you to evaluate your company’s data readiness, aid in consultation and execution of a data strategy, and we will help deploy solutions to carry you through all phases of your data journey. ADAPT DATA VISUALIZATION FAQS CAN ADAPT SUPPLEMENT OUR EXISTING REPORTING PACKAGES? Our team can provide you with customized dashboards for continuous monitoring of financial transactions, operational processes and business results. CAN ADAPT COMMUNICATE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND METRICS TO LARGE AUDIENCES? Our team can explain business insights to your organization in visually appealing and easy to understand graphics and reports. CAN ADAPT PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE WELLNESS CHECK OF MY CURRENT STATE? Our team can provide comparative financial reporting so you can see how you stack up against past performance, target performance and performance of peers in your industry. Our team can provide you with customized dashboards for continuous monitoring of financial transactions, operational processes and business results. Our team can explain business insights to your organization in visually appealing and easy to understand graphics and reports. Our team can provide comparative financial reporting so you can see how you stack up against past performance, target performance and performance of peers in your industry. ADAPT GENERAL FAQS CAN ADAPT’S SOLUTIONS INTEGRATE WITH MY EXISTING SOFTWARE? Our team uses industry-leading software that integrates directly into your systems to allow for automatic data aggregation, report running and dashboard refresh. Our technology consultants have experience integrating with multiple ERP systems and other software solutions. CAN ADAPT UTILIZE MY EXISTING BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TOOLS? Our team is partnered with Microsoft and Solver to deliver high-quality service, support and ongoing updates.  Our team is trained and certified in a variety of data analytic tools including Caseware IDEA, Microsoft Power BI, Solver Cloud, Alteryx and Tableau. CAN ADAPT ANSWER THE QUESTIONS MY COMPANY HAS REGARDING DATA? Our team is comprised of individuals with a variety of experience and qualifications, including Certified Data Analysts, Certified Public Accountants, Certified Business Analysts, Solver Certified Consultants, Microsoft Power BI Certified Consultants, Power BI Black Belts and skilled employees with technology and industry experience. About Schneider Downs Technology Advisors Our consultants combine practical business experience with up-to-date technical options to implement cost-effective solutions for our clients. Our association with industry-leading technology companies provides our clients with the latest industry-specific, low-risk and proven solutions. Through vendor certification programs, advanced education and industry conferences, our consultants are trained and certified on the latest products and services. Our consultants bring a variety of experiences, technical knowledge and industry certifications to our clients, providing an ongoing and effective partnership. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/adapt or contact us to get started today. Our team uses industry-leading software that integrates directly into your systems to allow for automatic data aggregation, report running and dashboard refresh. Our technology consultants have experience integrating with multiple ERP systems and other software solutions. Our team is partnered with Microsoft and Solver to deliver high-quality service, support and ongoing updates.  Our team is trained and certified in a variety of data analytic tools including Caseware IDEA, Microsoft Power BI, Solver Cloud, Alteryx and Tableau. Our team is comprised of individuals with a variety of experience and qualifications, including Certified Data Analysts, Certified Public Accountants, Certified Business Analysts, Solver Certified Consultants, Microsoft Power BI Certified Consultants, Power BI Black Belts and skilled employees with technology and industry experience. About Schneider Downs Technology Advisors Our consultants combine practical business experience with up-to-date technical options to implement cost-effective solutions for our clients. Our association with industry-leading technology companies provides our clients with the latest industry-specific, low-risk and proven solutions. Through vendor certification programs, advanced education and industry conferences, our consultants are trained and certified on the latest products and services. Our consultants bring a variety of experiences, technical knowledge and industry certifications to our clients, providing an ongoing and effective partnership. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/adapt or contact us to get started today. CONTACT ASK US What would you like to know? "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Schneider Downs Solutions Center Schneider Downs Solutions Center Solutions to Problems You Didn’t Know You Had Contact Us Today Remote Learning from Schneider Downs Browse our list of free webinars to find your next great idea! Learn More Big Thinking for Today's Challenges Visit our case history library for real-life examples of how our Big Thinking can help solve Big Problems Learn More Schneider Downs Events Connect with Schneider Downs virtually and in-person at one of our upcoming events. Learn More OUR SERVICES SINCE 1956, SCHNEIDER DOWNS HAS BEEN PROVIDING ACCOUNTING, TAX AND BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES THROUGH INNOVATIVE THOUGHT LEADERS WHO DELIVER THEIR EXPERTISE TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF EACH CLIENT. audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch. AUDIT AND ASSURANCE SERVICES We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans. tax-servicesCreated with Sketch. TAX SERVICES Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all of their tax compliance and planning needs. technologyCreated with Sketch. CONSULTING SERVICES The Schneider Downs Consulting team features experienced professionals across a diverse array of specialties, carefully selected to address the most pressing needs of businesses across all industries. staffingCreated with Sketch. PRIVATE CLIENT SERVICES The Schneider Downs Private Client Services practice was developed to attend to the specific and individualized needs of high-net-worth individuals. wealth-iconCreated with Sketch. WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES Schneider Downs Wealth Management has been providing investment and retirement services since 2000. YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN SOC REPORTING Schneider Downs provides System and Organization Controls (SOC) examinations nationally to over 100 clients annually in a variety of industries. CYBERSECURITY We offer a comprehensive set of IT security services, including penetration assessments, vulnerability assessments, web application security testing, IT security maturity assessments and more. IT RISK ADVISORY We ensure that your organization is risk-focused, promotes sound IT controls, ensures the timely resolution of audit deficiencies, and informs the board of directors of the effectiveness of risk management practices. OUR THOUGHTS ON Browse our library of articles featuring the latest commentary and analysis on a broad range of topics written by our professionals. ABOUT SCHNEIDER DOWNS Big Thinking. Personal Focus. This is what has made us who we are today, and it will guide our actions in the future. What our clients think ### Lease Accounting 2016 We welcome you to download our free whitepaper, Understanding the Lease Accounting Changes. Please complete the form below and you will be instantly routed to access the document. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email address* Company Phone numberCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Thank you for contacting Schneider Downs (We want to hear from you thank you) Thank you for contacting Schneider Downs Your message is very important to us, and you will be contacted by a member of the Schneider Downs team shortly if a response is needed. If you need immediate assistance, please call one of our offices: Pittsburgh, 412-261-3644 or Columbus, 614-621-4060. ### SD Cares Donation SD Cares Donations: Use Boxes Below Checking Transfer funds directly from your bank with no additional fees. 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(“SDC”) client portal is offered to you conditioned on your acceptance of the terms, conditions and notices contained in this Client Portal Agreement, as may be updated from time to time by SDC. By using the portal you agree to these terms and conditions. If you are not a SDC client or authorized employee of a SDC client, then any use by you of the portal is prohibited.Description of ServiceThe portal provides SDC clients and their authorized employees with access to information displayed on the portal for inquiries and deliveries of documents and communications for their account only. The information, documents and communications on the portal are provided as a convenient resource to clients and may be used for informational purposes only.User Password and SecurityUsing the portal and its related services requires the use of a password and a user name. The confidentiality of your password and account is your responsibility. You must take appropriate security measures to maintain the confidentiality of your password and username and to prevent disclosure to any unauthorized persons. Any activities that occur under your account are your responsibility and not the responsibility or liability of SDC. You agree to notify SDC immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security by contacting us at icshelpdesk@schneiderdowns.com or (412) 261-3644. It is prohibited to use anyone else’s account without the express permission of that account holder.Accuracy of Content and Liability DisclaimerSDC will strive to use reasonable efforts to include accurate and updated information on the portal. HOWEVER, YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT SDC IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO DO SO AND NEITHER SDC NOR ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY, RELIABILITY, AVAILABILITY, TIMELINESS, AND ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION SOFTWARE, DOCUMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS CONTAINED ON THE PORTAL FOR ANY PURPOSE. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALL SUCH INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, DOCUMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF ANY KIND. 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IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH ANY PORTION OF THE PORTAL, INFORMATION, DOCUMENTS OR COMMUNICATIONS ON THE PORTAL, OR WITH ANY OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE, YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY IS TO CEASE USING THE PORTAL AND THE INFORMATION, DOCUMENTS OR COMMUNICATIONS YOU OBTAINED FROM THE PORTAL. YOU MUST CONTACT SDC at (412) 261-3644 TO CANCEL YOUR PASSWORD AND USERNAME.Icons, Logos and Other Proprietary MaterialThe trademarks, logos, and service marks (collectively the “Trademarks”) displayed on the SDC portal are registered and common law trademarks of SDC. Nothing contained on the portal should be construed as granting, by implication, or otherwise, any license or right to use any of the Trademarks displayed on the portal without the written permission of SDC. Your use of any of the Trademarks displayed on the portal or displayed on any content on the portal is strictly prohibited.Changes to Terms and Conditions of UseSDC may at any time modify the terms, conditions and notices under which the portal is offered by updating this posting. You are bound to any such modifications if you continue to use the SDC portal. SDC may terminate the portal in its sole discretion.Confidentiality, Information Protection, and Protection of DataNotwithstanding any existing legal or contractual obligations regarding confidentiality between you and SDC, you undertake to treat all knowledge relating to business secrets, which come into your possession, as confidential. You shall assure that any protected data, which comes into your possession through the use of the portal, is not transmitted to any unauthorized person. In partial consideration of the opportunity to access the resources of the portal concerning your account, you agree to maintain the strict confidentiality of access of the portal and its data (including password and username) to you and your authorized employees and to indemnify and hold harmless SDC and its officers, partners, agents, and employees and their heirs, successors and assigns from and against any and all claims, actions, demands, losses, damages, judgments, costs and expenses, including without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and liabilities of every kind which may arise from your or your employees’ use of the portal or because of violation of these terms and conditions of use.No Unlawful or Prohibited UseYou are prohibited from using the portal to damage, disable, or overburden SDC’s servers or network or impair the portal or interfere with any other party’s use of the portal. Hacking, password mining or any other means to gain unauthorized access to the portal, portal accounts, computers or network is prohibited. Posting or transmitting any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, or profane material or any material that could constitute or encourage conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law is also prohibited. SDC will fully cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing SDC to disclose the identity of anyone posting any such information and materials.IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURETo ensure compliance with requirements imposed on June 20, 2005 by the United States Treasury, SDC informs you that any tax advice contained in communication (including any attachments) using the portals was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of 1) avoiding tax-related penalties or 2) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax related matters addressed in this communication. ### Marcellus and Utica Shales New Marcellus and Utica Shales Services PRIMARY CONTACT: Ted Pettko CPA  The Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale gas formations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and surrounding states establishes a significant amount of recoverable gas in this region. These shales have dramatically impacted many industries well beyond just the oil and gas industry. With a substantial client base already in the oil and gas industry, as well as serving supporting organizations to the sector, we are fully aware of the impact of this development at many areas. In addition to traditional accounting and tax compliance services, a sample of services Schneider Downs has provided to our clients include: Purchase price allocation and accounting Sale versus lease of mineral rights tax evaluation Drilling program prospectus assistance Entity evaluation for drilling programs Wealth management and investment advisory functions Post closing settlement audits Accounting software implementation Finance and accounting consulting and process improvement Technology assistance with royalty and partner statements and payments State registration for business activity in various states Federal along with state and local (SALT) audit representation Income tax planning and projections Our teams of seasoned professionals work together collectively to assist our clients meet their financial goals. We pride ourselves on providing the highest technical advice with a practical approach. About the Schneider Downs Energy & Resources Industry Group The Schneider Downs Energy & Resources industry group provides specialized financial advice and services to our clients in the oil and gas, mining and aggregates, forest products and alternative fuel and energy industries throughout the Columbus and Pittsburgh regions. Our extensive knowledge of industry issues enables us to provide proactive audit, tax and management consulting services. Learn more at Energy. ### Experienced Professionals. Solid Methodology. Client Satisfaction. Experienced Professionals. Solid Methodology. Client Satisfaction. When you need valuation services, you can count on Schneider Downs Business Advisors to determine the fair market value of your business.We have a dedicated team of business advisors who identify the most critical factors in determining the value of a business, property or intangible asset. Our team includes highly-experienced certified financial analysts who understand that each company is unique and tailor their analyses accordingly.Our expertise adds up when you want to know the true value of your company. Contact us for a no-obligation discussion with our professionals. ### Matthew W. Kotkiewicz Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What has COVID-19 taught us about our businesses processes? If you’re like the employees of Schneider Downs, you haven’t seen the inside of your office since mid-March. The first… Read More > Processes Under Pressure COVID-19 has impacted work environments in ways never imagined. Teams, offices – even entire companies – have shifted to working… Read More > The Value of Business Process Analysis in your Succession Plan Are you planning to exit your business in the next 5-10 years? Have you thought about succession plans for your… Read More > ### Business Process and Data Flow Data Privacy Services: Business Process and Data Flow Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. A critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Successful business process and data flow diagrams are achieved by conducting meetings with business unit representatives, as well as representatives from information technology (IT). These meetings allow for both business unit and IT representatives to develop a baseline understanding of what data is collected and how it is used, processed, shared, stored and retained within and outside of the organization.The following components should surface throughout this exercise, to then determine how to protect and effectively control personal data:Who collects, uses and maintains personal data relating to individuals, customers and employees?What types of personal data are collected and what is the purpose of collection?Where the data is physically stored?To whom is the data transferred/shared?When and how is the data collected?How long is it retained and how is it deleted?Additional Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesData Privacy Control AssessmentRegardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. Learn MoreData Protection Impact Assessment A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. Learn MoreNIST Privacy Framework ComplianceThe NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. Learn MorePrivacy by DesignOur approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture.  Learn MorePrivacy Regulations and CompliancePrepare your organization for compliance with data privacy regulations including GDPR, CPRA, CCPA, New York SHIELD Act, GLBA and HIPAA. Learn MoreAbout Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesAt Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance.Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/data-privacy-services or contact us for more information. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us Our Thoughts On Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Over...Now What? As October comes to an end, so does Cybersecurity Awareness Month. However, that doesn’t mean our focus on security awareness… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Purple Teaming Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Purple Teaming. In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Governance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cybersecurity Governance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Insurance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cyber Insurance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Deepfake Scams – A Growing Threat Deepfake-driven fraud remains a top concern for CISOs and security professionals, as the frequency and complexity of these scams continue… Read More > ### Business Advisory Services for the Energy and Resources Industry Business Advisory Services for the Energy and Resources Industry Schneider Downs professionals can assist your company with:Entity evaluation for drilling programsBusiness continuity planningPreparation and analysis of claimsInvestigation of fraud and unusual financial transactionsEvaluation of lost profits and economic damagesKey man retention and incentives - Non-qualified Deferred CompensationStock Appreciation Rights (SAR)Phantom stock programsIncentive compensation plansDue diligence relating to acquisitions and divestituresFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to companies in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our energy and resources services webpage. ### Business Advisory Services for Construction Companies Business Advisory Services for Construction Companies The Schneider Downs Business Advisors consists of seasoned forensic accountants and litigation support consultants with significant experience serving the Construction industry.  Services include:Business continuity planningPreparation and analysis of claimsInvestigation of fraud and unusual financial transactionsEvaluation of lost profits and economic damagesKey man retention and incentives - Non-qualified Deferred CompensationStock Appreciation Rights (SAR)Phantom stock programsIncentive compensation plansFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to construction companies in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our construction services webpage. ### Schneider Downs State and Local Tax Services Schneider Downs State and Local Tax Services With state budget deficits mounting, state auditors are under increasing pressure to identify new revenues. You may be at risk for a state tax audit if your company conducts business in numerous states or you have already received notices from other states about your activities there.Our dedicated State and Local (SALT) team has more than 100 combined years of experience, including working with many companies doing business in multiple states. Our extensive knowledge of issues related to sales and use tax, and state and local tax, is available to help guide you through the audit process.If you have received an audit notice, contact Schneider Downs. We can help.To stay current with changes to state and local tax legistion, subscribe to our free newsletter. E-mail NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Sign up ### Thank you for contacting Schneider Downs Thank you for contacting Schneider Downs Thank you for contacting Schneider Downs. Your questions and feedback are important to us and we’ll be in touch shortly. ### Thank You Thank You Thank you for submitting your information. ### Michael P Hart ### Thank You Thank You Thank you for your interest in this event.  You should receive an email confirming your registration. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact Lindsay Sherrill in Columbus or Alicia Furlan in Pittsburgh.  ### Microsoft Videos See Microsoft Dynamics 365 in action.  View the how-to videos in our library.Creating a New Customer ### Schneider Downs 2013 Manufacturers Economic Survey Results PDF Schneider Downs 2013 Manufacturers Economic Survey Results Thank you for your interest in Schneider Downs' 2013 Manufacturers Economic Survey.Download: Schneider Downs 2013 Manufacturers Economic Survey Results Please contact us if you have any questions about the survey. ### Download the Schneider Downs Manufacturer's Economic Survey Results Download the Schneider Downs Manufacturer's Economic Survey Results Please complete this form to download the survey results. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company Name* Email Address* CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### Schneider Downs 2012 Manufacturers Economic Survey Results PDF Schneider Downs 2012 Manufacturers Economic Survey Results Thank you for your interest in the Schneider Downs 2012 Manufacturers Economic Survey.Download: Schneider Downs 2012 Manufacturer’s Economic Survey Results Please contact us if you have any questions about the survey. ### Microsoft Dynamics GP FAQ PRIMARY CONTACT: Patrick B. Armknecht CPA,CITP, Mike P. Scalamogna What are some of the frequently asked questions about Microsoft Dynamics GP? As Microsoft continues to shift its investment away from this popular tool, we recognize that many businesses are struggling to find the right way to incorporate Microsoft Dynamics GP into their cloud strategy and are questioning if it’s time to reevaluate the software altogether. The Schneider Downs Technology Advisors continue to help our customers understand their options and have compiled a listing of some of the most frequently asked questions regarding  Microsoft Dynamics GP. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS WITH MICROSOFT DYNAMICS GP? Microsoft Dynamics GP customers have three primary options as the support-end date approaches. WHAT IF I MIGRATE TO A HOSTED DYNAMICS GP DEPLOYMENT? This option may be attractive to smaller companies who do not have the IT resources to maintain an on-premises server or larger companies who want to shift their IT resources efforts’ elsewhere; however, this path typically incurs higher costs in both the short term and long term. OR WHAT IF I DECIDE TO MIGRATE TO A SAAS BASED ERP? Many organizations are choosing this route as it eliminates costs associated with maintaining servers and the risk associated with having on-premises data. It also allows finance teams anywhere-access to their data and is backed by at least a 99% uptime SLA and massive annual investments in security (over $1 Billion annually in Microsoft’s case). WHAT IF I DECIDE TO TAKE NO ACTION? The final and most dangerous option is to simply do nothing. Doing nothing will leave your system vulnerable to risks without updates and patches from Microsoft. WHAT HAPPENS IF I CONTINUE USING MICROSOFT DYNAMICS GP? Microsoft has ended mainstream support for Dynamics GP and has introduced a new support lifecycle called the Modern Lifecycle Policy. In short, this means Microsoft will release bug fixes, new features, tax updates and regulatory updates on a periodic basis going forward. Photo Source: Microsoft This option requires an annual upgrade, at least one server, and IT resources to support and manage the server. Your business is responsible for ensuring the data is secure and the applications are available. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MIGRATING TO A CLOUD ERP? Microsoft is investing heavily in its cloud platform across the board, as are many other vendors. Some of the major benefits include: > 99% uptime SLAs Billions of dollars invested annually in security Your IT resources can focus their efforts elsewhere Upgrades happen behind the scenes and are included in your monthly subscription price Regular updates for localized compliance, governance, and security elements Integrations with low code/no code development platforms Better support for hybrid and remote work From an accountant or end user perspective, the most important benefit of a cloud accounting system is that major enhancements are released multiple times per year (twice per year for Microsoft). HOW DO DYNAMICS GP AND DYNAMICS BUSINESS CENTRAL FEATURES COMPARE? There are several new features available on Dynamics Business Central compared to Dynamics GP, some of the key updates and new capabilities are listed below: If you would like to discuss which option is best suited for your organization and situation, please contact Mike P. Scalamogna directly or schedule a time on his calendar. WHY CHOOSE SCHNEIDER DOWNS AS YOUR IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER? Business Expertise – As a multi-faceted professional services firm, our team has access to a diverse bench of professionals with expertise in a wide range of solutions to augment your implementation, including cybersecurity, internal audit, data analytics, audit and assurance, tax and more. Client Success – With a focus on the long-term success of our clients, our team prioritizes the importance of  thorough documentation and clear instructions to ensure your team can operate independently post-engagement. Experienced Professionals – Our implementation professionals are well-versed in technology and industry-specific concerns, allowing our consultants to hit the ground running and provide true guidance from day one. Microsoft Knowledge – The implementation team has evolved with Microsoft’s offerings, allowing us to gain a thorough understanding of how legacy platforms worked and the steps needed to move clients to the appropriate Microsoft solutions. Microsoft Dynamics GP customers have three primary options as the support-end date approaches. This option may be attractive to smaller companies who do not have the IT resources to maintain an on-premises server or larger companies who want to shift their IT resources efforts’ elsewhere; however, this path typically incurs higher costs in both the short term and long term. Many organizations are choosing this route as it eliminates costs associated with maintaining servers and the risk associated with having on-premises data. It also allows finance teams anywhere-access to their data and is backed by at least a 99% uptime SLA and massive annual investments in security (over $1 Billion annually in Microsoft’s case). The final and most dangerous option is to simply do nothing. Doing nothing will leave your system vulnerable to risks without updates and patches from Microsoft. Microsoft has ended mainstream support for Dynamics GP and has introduced a new support lifecycle called the Modern Lifecycle Policy. In short, this means Microsoft will release bug fixes, new features, tax updates and regulatory updates on a periodic basis going forward. Photo Source: Microsoft This option requires an annual upgrade, at least one server, and IT resources to support and manage the server. Your business is responsible for ensuring the data is secure and the applications are available. Microsoft is investing heavily in its cloud platform across the board, as are many other vendors. Some of the major benefits include: > 99% uptime SLAs Billions of dollars invested annually in security Your IT resources can focus their efforts elsewhere Upgrades happen behind the scenes and are included in your monthly subscription price Regular updates for localized compliance, governance, and security elements Integrations with low code/no code development platforms Better support for hybrid and remote work From an accountant or end user perspective, the most important benefit of a cloud accounting system is that major enhancements are released multiple times per year (twice per year for Microsoft). There are several new features available on Dynamics Business Central compared to Dynamics GP, some of the key updates and new capabilities are listed below: If you would like to discuss which option is best suited for your organization and situation, please contact Mike P. Scalamogna directly or schedule a time on his calendar. Business Expertise – As a multi-faceted professional services firm, our team has access to a diverse bench of professionals with expertise in a wide range of solutions to augment your implementation, including cybersecurity, internal audit, data analytics, audit and assurance, tax and more. Client Success – With a focus on the long-term success of our clients, our team prioritizes the importance of  thorough documentation and clear instructions to ensure your team can operate independently post-engagement. Experienced Professionals – Our implementation professionals are well-versed in technology and industry-specific concerns, allowing our consultants to hit the ground running and provide true guidance from day one. Microsoft Knowledge – The implementation team has evolved with Microsoft’s offerings, allowing us to gain a thorough understanding of how legacy platforms worked and the steps needed to move clients to the appropriate Microsoft solutions. READY TO GET STARTED? SCHEDULE A DEMO Related Resources Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Software Overview Forrester Report – Total Economic Impact™ of Business Central Related Services Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Microsoft Dynamics GP Microsoft Dynamics NAV About Schneider Downs Technology and Data Services Schneider Downs Technology Advisors are committed to providing value-added technology services and solutions to our clients. We strive to create an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship with our clients by focusing on client satisfaction, delivery of quality service and the continuous education and training of our staff. In today's demanding world market, one of the most challenging tasks facing a company is utilizing and processing information effectively and efficiently. For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit our dedicated Technology and Data Services page. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Mining and Aggregates Mining and Aggregates Services PRIMARY CONTACT: Ted Pettko CPA The Schneider Downs Energy & Resources Services industry group provides specialized services to clients operating in the mining and aggregate industries.We provide audit, tax and consulting services, as well as assist your company with mergers and acquisitions, equipment financing, productivity analyses, lease vs. buy decisions for major asset additions, structuring of transactions to gain the most favorable tax treatment allowable and a review of your internal accounting policies and procedures. Some of the services and capabilities that Schneider Downs provides to clients in the mining and aggregates industry are as follows:Review of the entity selection (e.g. proprietorship, joint venture, partnership or incorporation), based on the specifics of the situation and the business objectives, to determine the best possible organizational structure for your business.Guidance on operating agreements, lease contracts and partnership agreements to determine the best method of investment (limited vs. general partner) and the related tax considerations.Review of potential investments not only from a tax standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint to determine if the investment is feasible.Analyze development and exploration costs to determine if all income tax elections are timely and properly made and ensure that all development and exploration costs are properly handled, based on the taxpayer’s individual tax situation.Evaluation of the percentage depletion computations for income tax compliance and identification of planning opportunities to enhance current deductions.Assistance in tracking development costs by mineral property to ensure total tax basis has been captured.Assistance in determining the effect that proposed transactions will have on the taxpayer from both a tax and a financial statement perspective.Benchmarking comparisons of similar businesses to determine if an entity is operating in an efficient and effective manner and earning an appropriate return on its investment.Analysis of operations to ensure compliance and to identify all tax savings opportunities at the state level (e.g. assist with P.U.C. licenses for hauling operation; assist with the purchase of state tax credits at a discounted percentage of value.Purchase price accounting assistance.Assistance in connection with the evaluation of purchase or sale of mineral interests, including tax planning related to the transaction structuring, purchase price allocation and related cash flow.Guidance on FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 410, "Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations," as it relates to reclamation reserve liability calculations.Evaluation of the company’s tax preference items to minimize the federal alternative minimum tax impact and development of strategies to utilize minimum tax credit carry forwards.Evaluation and planning relative to state tax credit opportunities and filing positions. Resources Mining and Aggregate Overview About the Schneider Downs Energy & Resources Industry GroupThe Schneider Downs Energy & Resources industry group provides specialized financial advice and services to our clients in the oil and gas, mining and aggregates, forest products and alternative fuel and energy industries throughout the Columbus and Pittsburgh regions. Our extensive knowledge of industry issues enables us to provide proactive audit, tax and management consulting services. Learn more at Energy & Resources Services. ### MIP Spring Cleaning Please complete the following form so that we may update our records. Thank you in advance! "*" indicates required fields Full name* Organization Job title Email PhoneOrganization address Is there anyone new to your organization who would benefit from communication related to MIP? (please provide name, title and email)Is there anyone from your team who has left your organization and should be removed from our database? Please provide the name(s) to remove.If you have previously unsubscribed from communication, may we add you back to our list? (Please note, if you choose yes, we will need to send you an email for you to accept before adding you back) Yes No PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### MIP Fund Accounting Gain more time to focus on your causeEnsure Mission Productivity with MIP Fund Accounting®MIP Fund Accounting® is a configurable fund accounting solution that allows you to report and track information that is most important to you, your board and your supporters. To help you deliver on your mission, our solutions can change and grow with you through your most difficult of fund accounting, human capital management and payroll decisions alike.MIP Fund Accounting® can help you:Scale - MIP Fund Accounting® can change and grow with you through your most difficult fund accounting, human capital management, and payroll challenges.Choose - Our software can be hosted in the cloud for maximum data security and anywhere access, or on premise, based on your specific needs.Decide - Comprehensive, accessible data empowers you to make better financial decisions and execute financial management with greater precision.Know - Track, analyze, and report on the data that is most important to your board, your organization, and you.MIP's modular structure makes it a precise fit for the budget and programs you have today, with room for expansion and growth in the future. When your accounting and performance needs change, you have the opportunity to add modules to the system when you actually need them. Learn more about the MIP Fund Accounting® product.CLOUD SOLUTIONSUsing rudimentary tools to achieve complex nonprofit and government accounting functionality can open the door to costly errors. You need a true fund accounting™ system like MIP® Cloud, which was purpose built by and for nonprofit and government financial professionals just like you.With MIP® Cloud You Get:Rich History- MIP® Cloud brings MIP Fund Accounting® revered for more than 30 years as the gold standard in true fund accounting, to the cloud.Peace of Mind - With advanced audit reporting, fraud deterrence and alerting, and built-in FASB and GASB, you’ll breeze through audits and effortlessly meet stringent reporting requirements.Worry-Free, Cloud-Based Technology - Maintenance, backups, and iron-clad security are baked in.Flex and Scale – MIP® Cloud can flex and grow alongside your organization, regardless of complexity and needs.Anytime Access - The system is a fully-integrated, fully-inclusive cloud suite that provides anytime/anywhere access to important data and reports.To learn more about this product and how it can help your business, please contact Patrick Armknecht at 412-697-5386. ### Motor Fuel Tax Contact: Timothy Adams ### Capital Raising Capital Raising PRIMARY CONTACTS: Peter J. LiebermanSenior Debt, Subordinated/Mezzanine Debt and EquityThe capital "dance floor" includes an infinite number of options beyond bank loans. With extensive corporate finance experience and global finance contacts, we assist in identifying lenders and capital partners well beyond the reach of our clients. We help owners and executives seeking to fuel growth, fund acquisitions, or recapitalize the business to facilitate a liquidity event for shareholders.The Schneider Downs Corporate Finance team can:Provide real-time market intelligence and comprehensive valuation guidanceDevelop a list of potential lenders, deal sponsors or investorsSecure senior or junior debt placementsSecure minority and majority equity placements on a selective basisAssist in creating offering memorandaManage the transaction process and interaction with lenders and investorsWork with clients legal counsel in preparation of purchase offersFacilitate lender and investor due diligenceContact a member of our Corporate Finance team today for a confidential conversation.About Schneider Downs Corporate FinanceSchneider Downs Corporate Finance is a leading, full-service investment banking, corporate finance and strategic advisory firm serving the needs of mid-market and small companies. With close to 100 combined years of financial transaction and executive management experience across a broad spectrum of industries and client situations, our focus is to provide premier advisory services in the areas of company sales and divestitures, acquisitions, fund-raising and strategic advisory. Learn more about our additional services at www.schneiderdowns.com/investment-banking.Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC.Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP Customer Relationship Summary (Form CRS). Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Business Valuation Services Business Valuation Services The valuation of any business or asset is a complex task that includes, among other things, detailed financial analyses, a deep understanding of the subject company and the industry/economic environment in which it operates, and the application of multiple valuation techniques. The necessary insight required to prepare a reasoned and supportable valuation analysis is the product of both significant real-world experience and a theoretical understanding of key business valuation concepts.The professionals that make up Schneider Downs’ business valuation management team have an average of 20 years of experience in providing business valuation and other advisory services.  This depth of experience is further enhanced by the fact that each individual has also earned industry-recognized certifications in the area of business valuation, including as Certified Valuation Analysts (CVAs) from the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts, and as Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.Schneider Downs’ real-world experience and professional expertise allows us to provide our clients with service excellence in a broad range of valuation services, including:BankruptcyBuy/Sell AgreementsEstate and Gift TaxFair-Value Reporting Requirements (ASC 820)Purchase Price Allocation (ASC 805)Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment (ASC 350 and 360)Incentive Compensation Expense (ASC 718)Mergers, Acquisitions, and DivestituresS Corporation ElectionsShareholder DisputesTransfer PricingOur skilled team of professionals delivers an ideal balance of industry knowledge with the deep-rooted experience necessary to address the specific nuances that make every business transaction unique.About Schneider Downs Transaction AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory team helps companies maximize the success of business transactions of all types, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, minority interest investments, management buy-outs, sale preparation, due diligence, valuations and succession planning. Our team consists of interdisciplinary dedicated professionals who provide support across all aspects of transactions.Learn more about our Transaction Advisory Services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Move to the Cloud How do I prepare to move to the cloud? PRIMARY CONTACT: Patrick B. Armknecht CPA, CITP (Pittsburgh)Before moving to the cloud, there are several questions that a business needs to answer:1. Why do you want to migrate to the cloud?First and foremost, it is important to clearly understand how/why migrating to the cloud supports the strategic objectives/initiatives of your business.2. Which type of cloud computing is right for your business?Public cloud – Services and infrastructure are shared by consumers and the infrastructure resides on the cloud service provider’s platform.  Services are sold on demand.Private cloud – Infrastructure is not shared but rather, exclusive to your company.Hybrid cloud – Combination of public and private clouds.3. Who are the stakeholders of cloud computing?It is important to understand who will be consuming the cloud services.  Far too often, cloud decisions are made based upon the needs a subset of stakeholders as opposed to all stakeholders.  Common examples include understanding the impact to stakeholders outside of your organization (customers, vendors, etc.).4. What are the anticipated costs of moving to the cloud?Businesses that have run their business applications on premise for a number of years generally have a good idea of the cost of maintaining these applications.  Whether it be maintenance, upgrades, patching or new software/hardware, the costs become fairly predictable.  The same predictability can be achieved in the cloud although the cost factors may be different.  Storage, processing are costs that may have been fixed in an on premise environment. Other costs that need to be considered for cloud migration are migration and downtime costs.5. How will you govern your cloud deployment?Although the policies and standards used to govern a cloud deployment are still the responsibility of your organization, executing these policies and standards will most likely require assistance from your cloud providers.  Understanding and documenting your role and that of your cloud providers is critical for governing a cloud deployment.6. Does the service level agreement (SLA) align with my business needs?A Service Level Agreement (SLA) identifies the responsibilities, minimum level of service (e.g. response times) and the remedies for failing to meet the minimum level of service between a cloud service provider and the client.  Prior to entering into any cloud agreement, it is imperative to understand the cloud solution provider’s commitment to availability, response times and reliability to ensure it aligns with the needs of your stakeholders.Applicable Service Offerings CLOUD MIGRATION HAVE A QUESTION? "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title Company/Organization Email* Phone Number*Question?* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Organization Technology- SD inSITE Board Portal Organization Technology- SD inSITE Board Portal How much time do you spend getting information to your Board?If you are like most organizations, you use a variety of means: email, postal mail, phone.The inSITE Board Portal provides a secure and cost-effective tool to organize and distribute documents to Board members and senior management.SD inSITE Board Portal:Improves communicationSingle location for all documents, including financial reports from prior periodsCalendars and notices to remind Board members of upcoming meetings and eventsMakes your staff more efficient by reducing their work loadVery effective in orienting new Board members to the various committees and current issuesTrack which documents are accessed.The Board Portal is organized in folders which correspond to your needs.  You define the security and Board members only see the documents to which they have access.The Board Portal is secure.Role-based access to foldersDocuments can be lockedSecond password requiredNo printingNo distribution ### Navigating Digital Transformation Navigating the Digital Transformation Roadmap Digital Transformation involves evaluating the purpose, efficiency and effectiveness of processes, reimagining how processes should work and identifying and leveraging technology to execute upon the reimagined process.Download our whitepaper, Navigating the Digital Transformation Roadmap, to learn how organizations can benefit from digital transformation, best practices for project framework, our transformation methodology and how to measure success. About Schneider Downs Digital Transformation Solutions The Schneider Downs Digital Transformation team leverages technological innovations and our business expertise to develop strategic transformative solutions that drive business process improvement for organizations of all sizes. Our solutions identify and implement process and technology enhancements that are scalable and enable improved data reliability, productivity and timely reporting and analysis. Through our cross-functional team of risk and technology professionals, we provide insights and assistance in improving the foundational business processes of an organization, and identify and implement technology to further automate and support critical business processes. For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit Digital Transformation. Download the Content. Please Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of Navigating the Digital Transformation Roadmap. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Title* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Download ### Thank you. Please Enjoy Your Content Whitepaper: Navigating the Digital Transformation Roadmap For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit Digital Transformation. ### Services for the Energy and Resources Industry Services for the Energy and Resources Industry Schneider Downs professionals can assist your company with:Provide guidance to clients through process of restructuring their current debt and related terms and covenantsBenchmarking comparisons of similar businesses to determine if an entity is operating in an efficient and effective manner and earning an appropriate return on its investmentPurchase price allocation and accountingPost-closing settlement auditsFinance and accounting consulting and process improvementComparison of the full cost versus the successful efforts methods of accounting and the effect of each on the financial statement of the entityRevenue distribution policies and proceduresAssistance with:Cash flow analysis used in valuation matters associated with future production from wells.Asset retirement obligations associated with wells.Depreciation, depletion and amortization accountingInterpretation of reserve reportsFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to companies in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our energy and resources services webpage. ### Audit Assurance Education Sector Audit Assurance Education Sector Schneider Downs professionals focus on the business of our clients and the environments in which they operate.  Our audit procedures are tailored for each institution and are developed only after obtaining a detailed understanding of the accounting systems, administrative procedures and internal controls.  This understanding enables us to effectively identify and respond to business and financial statement risks affecting the development and execution of a customized audit plan. Audit and assurance services for the education sector include:Financial statement audits, reviews, compilations and other attest servicesOMB Circular A-133 audits (student financial aid, research and development and other major programs)ERISA plan audits including 401(k), 401(a) and 403(b) auditsNew accounting standards assistanceAudit preparation servicesManagement reporting needs, considerations and presentationsGeneral business consultingNCAA agreed-upon proceduresState grant audits/compliance audits (RACP, DCED)Internal controls assessmentsAccounting policy reviewReview of financial reports and tax compliance matters related to endowments and investment portfoliosProgram profitability and viability studiesBond offering services (taxable and tax-exempt)For a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to educational institutions in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our education sector services webpage. ### Content Subscribe Subscribe Thank you for opting-in to Schneider Downs’ knowledge network.By joining our network, you will receive the latest commentary and analysis on a broad range of topics, be invited to free CPE opportunities and be kept abreast on the latest happenings in business today. "*" indicates required fields Please take a moment to choose the content you want to receive:* Not-for-Profit related content Our Thoughts On weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights Opt-me in to all Schneider Downs content Name* Company* Job Title* Email* Phone Number*EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Audit and Assurance Services for Construction Companies Audit and Assurance Services for Construction Companies Audit and assurance services that Schneider Downs provides to construction companies include:Prequalification reportsJoint venture accounting and reportingRevenue recognitionAccounting for claims and unapproved change ordersReporting in accordance with IFRS and IASNew accounting standards assistanceIndirect cost allocation methodologyTreasury management involving liquidity and working capitalCashflow forecast analysis and durationAccounts receivable managementSoftware optimization and utilizationsManagement reporting needs, consideration and presentationRisk management evaluationFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to construction companies in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our construction services webpage. ### NIST Privacy Framework Compliance Data Privacy Services: NIST Privacy Framework Compliance Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. The NIST Privacy Framework is often used in tandem with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to strengthen the overall privacy and security posture of the organization’s digital environment. An organization’s adoption of the NIST Privacy Framework will prove its privacy leadership through the following:Building customer’s trust by supporting ethical decision-making while minimizing adverse consequences for individual’s privacy and society as a whole;Fulfilling current compliance obligations and future-proofing products and services to meet these obligations;Facilitating communications about privacy practices with individuals, business partners, assessors, and regulators.We have the experience to help organizations comply with the NIST Privacy framework through the following methods:Readiness Gap AssessmentWe will perform a walkthrough of the current control environment to see how it aligns with NIST’s 5 Functions, 18 Categories, and 100 Subcategories to determine where there may be control gaps within the organization. From here, we will provide value-add recommendations on how to remediate those gaps, to implement controls to ultimately meet the requirements of the NIST Privacy Framework.Effectiveness TestingWe will evaluate the organization’s control environment against the framework’s 5 Functions, 18 Categories, and 100 Subcategories to determine the maturity of the organization, based upon the NIST Implementation Tiers, as further detailed below.NIST Implementation TiersThe NIST Implementation Tiers provide a point of reference on how an organization has sufficient processes and resources in place to manage the privacy risk, as defined by the framework. The Tiers reflect an organization’s progression and can help an organization gauge its placement in a range from:Tier 1 (Partial)Tier 2 (Risk Informed)Tier 3 (Repeatable)Tier 4 (Adaptive)Additional Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesBusiness Process and Data FlowA critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Learn MoreData Privacy Control AssessmentRegardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. Learn MoreData Protection Impact Assessment A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. Learn MorePrivacy by DesignOur approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture. Learn MorePrivacy Regulations and CompliancePrepare your organization for compliance with data privacy regulations including GDPR, CPRA, CCPA, New York SHIELD Act, GLBA and HIPAA. Learn More.About Schneider Downs Data Privacy ServicesAt Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance.Learn more about our IT Risk Advisory Practice or contact us for more information. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Affordable Care Act Reporting Affordable Care Act Reporting This page contains information on the reporting requirements for the Affordable Care Act Forms 1094 and 1095.  We also encourage you to contact us if you would like more information, or feel a detailed conversation would be beneficial.Employer's Guide to the ACA Reporting Standards whitepaperDownload the presentation from the webinar: Affordable Care Act Reporting – Forms 1094 & 1095View the recorded ACA Reporting webinar belowhttps://vimeo.com/154084258 ### Oil and Gas New Oil and Gas Services PRIMARY CONTACT: Ted Pettko CPAThe Schneider Downs Energy & Resources industry group provides specialized financial advice and services to our clients in the oil and gas industry.Our extensive knowledge of industry issues enables us to provide proactive audit, tax and management consulting services. We have assisted our clients with solutions for their business, such as operational matters, mergers and acquisitions and liability concerns. From joint interest billing processing and review of operator overhead charges, to tax planning we provide our clients the solutions needed to be successful.Our Energy and Resources Industry Group is specifically focused on your industry, and our advisors are experienced in your operating environment. We like to say that we make it our business to know your business, and that is why we regularly schedule multi-disciplinary meetings to monitor industry trends.We are also active members of the Ohio and Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (IOGA) and the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA). We attend both local and national continuing professional education sessions dedicated to oil and gas account and tax matters.Some of the services and capabilities that Schneider Downs provides to clients in the oil and gas industry are as follows:Audit and AssuranceComparison of the full cost versus the successful efforts methods of accounting and the effect of each on the financial statement of the entity.Assistance with:cash flow analysis used in valuation matters associated with future production from wells.asset retirement obligations associated with wells.depreciation, depletion and amortization accountinginterpretation of reserve reportsrevenue distribution policies and procedures.benchmarking comparisons of similar businesses to determine if an entity is operating in an efficient and effective manner and earning an appropriate return on its investment.Tax AdvisoryReview of the entity structure to ensure the best possible organizational structure for your businessGuidance on partnership agreements, drilling contracts and operating agreements to determine the best method of investment.Ensure drilling cost elections are properly made and that all intangible drilling costs are properly handled.Review and determination the effect that proposed transactions will have on the taxpayer.Analysis of operations to ensure compliance and to identify all tax saving opportunities at the state level.Evaluation of the company’s tax preference items to minimize the federal alternative minimum tax impact Resources Oil and Gas Overview About the Schneider Downs Energy & Resources Industry GroupThe Schneider Downs Energy & Resources industry group provides specialized financial advice and services to our clients in the oil and gas, mining and aggregates, forest products and alternative fuel and energy industries throughout the Columbus and Pittsburgh regions. Our extensive knowledge of industry issues enables us to provide proactive audit, tax and management consulting services. Learn more at Energy & Resources Services. ### Other Industries Content Coming Soon... ### Thanks For Downloading Our Content! (10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit ) Thanks For Downloading Our Content! We appreciate your interest and hope you find your copy of 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit useful.For more information on Schneider Downs Cybersecurity, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/cybersecurity.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity ### 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit Media coverage of data breaches often focuses on the impact, but that’s only half the story. Get inside the mind of a hacker and learn about common and underlying circumstances leading to breaches. Download our 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit whitepaper to learn more, including best practices for mitigating risks presented by hackers. If you like this whitepaper, you’ll love the companion whitepaper, 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. Download the Content. Please Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach. First Name Last Name Organization Title Email PhonePhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Cynthia J. Hoffman ### Other Services Provided to Construction Companies Other Services Provided to Construction Companies Schneider Downs provides additional value-added services to energy and resources companies, including but not limited to:401(k) PlansDesigned for owners and key executivesPersonal adviceOpen architectureSchneider Downs Corporate Finance, LPSchneider Downs Technology AdvisorsSchneider Downs Wealth Management AdvisorsFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to companies in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our construction services webpage. ### Other Services Provided for the Energy and Resources Industry Other Services Provided for the Energy and Resources Industry Schneider Downs provides additional value-added services to energy and resources companies, including but not limited to:401(k) PlansDesigned for owners and key executivesPersonal adviceOpen architectureSchneider Downs Technology AdvisorsSchneider Downs Wealth Management AdvisorsSchneider Downs Corporate Finance, LPSchneider Downs Meridian, LPSchneider Downs StaffingFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to companies in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our energy and resources services webpage. ### 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach Data breaches continue to impact organizations across all industries and sizes without any signs of slowing down. The Schneider Downs cybersecurity team has participated in countless breach response efforts and while each situation is unique, there are common mistakes and trends we continue to see. In an effort to help organizations like yours, we asked our team of cybersecurity experts to share the top ten preventive measures overlooked prior to a breach.Download our 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach to learn more.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of expert practitioners offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page or contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity.Download the Content.Please Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach. First Name Last Name Organization Title Email PhoneNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Navigating Internal Financial Statements to Tax Returns Navigating Internal Financial Statements to Tax Returns ### The content you selected is not currently available We apologize The content you selected is not currently available. Please visit the Our Thoughts On home page for other insightful articles. ### Download the SOC Report Presentation Download the SOC Report Presentation To download a copy of the presentation, please complete the following form. "*" indicates required fields Name* Company* Email* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### OTO Archive Thank you for your interest in Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On This Article Has Been ArchivedSchneider downs takes pride in providing a surplus of relevant thought provoking articles to our clients and friends. To be consistent with providing the most current content, articles older than five years are archived. Schneider Downs would be happy to provide these articles upon request. Please contact us with your article request by completing the form below or emailing, contactsd@schneiderdowns.comWe invite you to learn more about Schneider Downs, subscribe to one of our newsletters. ### International Tax Accountants – Alexandria Newport News (VA) International Tax Accountants – Alexandria Newport News (VA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Alexandria, Newport News and across Virginia. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Virginia International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.About Alexandria (VA)Nestled along the scenic banks of the Potomac River, the business community of Alexandria, Virginia, embodies a unique blend of historical charm, innovation, and economic vitality. As a historic city steeped in colonial heritage, Alexandria serves as a dynamic economic center within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.At its core, Alexandria's business landscape is anchored by a diverse array of industries, including government contracting, technology, healthcare, hospitality, and professional services. The city's close proximity to the nation's capital has made it a strategic location for government contractors and consulting firms, driving economic growth and job creation.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Virginia International Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Alexandria, Newport News, and across Virginia. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax Accountants – Miami Orlando (FL) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – MIAMI ORLANDO (FL) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Miami, Orlando and across Florida. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Miami International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Miami (FL) Nestled along the vibrant shores of South Florida, Miami's business community exudes a dynamic blend of diversity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Rooted in its rich cultural heritage and strategic location as a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, the city's economic landscape reflects a tapestry of industries spanning finance, tourism, technology, and international trade.At its core, Miami is renowned for its role as a global financial center, with a concentration of banking institutions, investment firms, and wealth management services. The city's strategic position as a hub for international trade and commerce, coupled with its favorable tax climate, has made it a magnet for investment from around the world.National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Miami International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Miami, Orlando and across Florida. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHACommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPAs – St. Louis (MO) International Business Tax CPAs – St. Louis (MO) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in St. Louis and across Missouri. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Saint Louis International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.About St. Louis (MO)The business community of St. Louis, Missouri, reflects a rich blend of tradition, innovation, and resilience, set against the backdrop of the iconic Gateway Arch and the winding Mississippi River. Established as a major port city in the 19th century, St. Louis has evolved into a diverse economic hub with a strong focus on healthcare, biotechnology, manufacturing, and financial services.At its core, St. Louis is renowned for its robust healthcare sector, anchored by world-class medical institutions such as Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. These institutions drive groundbreaking research, attract top talent, and contribute significantly to the city's economy. Additionally, the city's biotechnology industry continues to thrive, with numerous startups and established companies innovating in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and life sciences.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our St. Louis International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in St. Louis and across Missouri. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPAs – Philadelphia (PA) International Business Tax CPAs – Philadelphia (PA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Philadelphia and across Pennslyvania. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Philadelphia International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.About Philadelphia (PA)The business community of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, embodies a rich tapestry of history, resilience, and innovation. Situated along the banks of the Delaware River, Philadelphia boasts a legacy of commerce dating back to its founding days, serving as a vital hub for trade and industry in the United States.At its core, Philadelphia's business landscape is characterized by its diverse array of industries, ranging from healthcare and education to manufacturing and technology. The city is home to a thriving healthcare sector, with world-renowned hospitals and research institutions driving innovation and medical breakthroughs. Additionally, Philadelphia has emerged as a burgeoning center for technology and entrepreneurship, with a growing number of startups and tech companies choosing to call the city home.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Philadelphia International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax Accountants – Cleveland Columbus (OH) International Business Tax Accountants – Cleveland Columbus (OH) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Cleveland, Columbus, and across Ohio. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Ohio International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.  About Columbus (OH) Nestled in the heart of Ohio, Columbus boasts a thriving business community that combines a spirit of innovation with a commitment to collaboration and growth. Rooted in a diverse array of industries, the city's economic landscape reflects both its rich history and forward-thinking ethos.At its core, Columbus is renowned for its diverse economy, with key sectors including finance, healthcare, retail, logistics, and technology. The city's strategic location and robust infrastructure have made it a hub for distribution and logistics, with major companies leveraging its proximity to interstate highways and rail networks for efficient transportation of goods. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Cleveland/Columbus Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Cleveland, Columbus, and across Ohio. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPAs – New York City (NY) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – NEW YORK CITY (NY) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in New York City and across New York. We focus our services on high-net-worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. New York International Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. What Our Clients Say... About New York (NY) The business community of New York City stands as a global epitome of dynamism, innovation, and unparalleled economic diversity. Nestled amidst the iconic skyline and bustling streets, New York's entrepreneurial spirit is palpable, pulsating through the veins of its various industries. At its core, New York City is synonymous with finance and commerce, boasting the world-renowned Wall Street and a multitude of financial institutions that drive global markets. The city's iconic Stock Exchange is a symbol of its pivotal role in shaping the global economy. Moreover, New York's business landscape extends far beyond finance, encompassing sectors such as technology, media, fashion, healthcare, and real estate. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our New York International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in New York City and across New York. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. 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Submit New York Export Data ### International Business Tax CPAs – Los Angeles (CA) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – LOS ANGELES (CA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Los Angeles and across California. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Los Angeles International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.What Our Clients Say...About Los Angeles (CA)The business community of Los Angeles, California, paints a vibrant and eclectic picture of entrepreneurship, creativity, and cultural diversity. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the sprawling metropolis, Los Angeles serves as a global hub for entertainment, technology, fashion, and innovation.At its core, the city's business landscape is driven by its thriving entertainment industry, which includes film, television, music, and gaming. Hollywood, with its iconic studios and production companies, serves as the beating heart of this industry, attracting talent and investment from around the world. Beyond entertainment, Los Angeles is also home to a burgeoning tech scene, with Silicon Beach emerging as a hotspot for startups and tech giants alike.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Los Angeles International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Los Angeles and across California. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHANameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPAs – Houston (TX) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – HOUSTON (TX) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Houston and across Texas.  We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Houston International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.About Houston (TX)The business community in Houston, Texas, epitomizes the essence of the Lone Star State's entrepreneurial spirit and economic prowess. Situated in the heart of the Gulf Coast region, Houston stands as a dynamic metropolis renowned for its diverse industries, innovative enterprises, and unwavering resilience.Houston's business landscape is as vast and varied as the Texas sky, encompassing sectors such as energy, healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing, and technology. With its roots deeply entrenched in the oil and gas industry, Houston has evolved into a global energy capital, home to numerous multinational corporations, as well as a thriving ecosystem of startups and innovators pioneering renewable energy solutions.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Houston International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Houston and across Texas. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax Accountants – Dallas Fort Worth (TX) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – DALLAS FORT WORTH (TX) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Dallas, Fort Worth and across Texas. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Dallas International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Dallas (TX) Nestled in the heart of North Texas, Dallas boasts a vibrant and dynamic business community characterized by a unique blend of tradition, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Rooted in its storied history as a center for trade and commerce, the city's economic landscape reflects a diverse array of industries and a relentless pursuit of growth and prosperity.At its core, Dallas is renowned for its robust economy, with key sectors including finance, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and energy. The city's strategic location and transportation infrastructure, including the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, have made it a global hub for logistics and distribution, facilitating the movement of goods and services across the nation and beyond. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Dallas International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Dallas, Fort Worth, and across Texas. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPAs – Chicago (IL) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – CHICAGO (IL) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Chicago and across Illinois. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Chicago International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.What Our Clients Say...About Chicago (IL)The business community of Chicago, Illinois, represents a dynamic fusion of tradition and innovation, anchored by a legacy of commerce that stretches back to the city's founding. Nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago boasts a diverse and robust economy spanning a multitude of sectors, from finance and manufacturing to technology and transportation.At its core, Chicago's business landscape is characterized by its resilience and adaptability. Despite facing challenges such as economic downturns and shifting industries, the city has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to reinvent itself and thrive. This resilience is fueled by a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that permeates the city, driving forward-thinking initiatives and fostering a culture of collaboration and growth.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Chicago International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Chicago and across Illinois. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHAEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax Accountants – Boston Cambridge (MA) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – BOSTON CAMBRIDGE (MA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in  Boston, Cambridge and across  Massachusetts. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross-border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Massachusetts International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.About Boston (MA)Nestled along the scenic shores of Massachusetts, Boston's business community resonates with a rich tapestry of innovation, academia, and historical significance. Rooted in its storied past as a hub of American independence and intellectual prowess, the city's economic landscape reflects a dynamic blend of traditional industries and cutting-edge sectors.At its core, Boston stands as a beacon of education and research, home to prestigious universities and leading academic institutions. Harvard, MIT, and other world-renowned schools not only drive innovation and intellectual capital but also serve as catalysts for entrepreneurship and technology transfer, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of startups and spin-offs.National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Boston International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Boston, Cambridge, and across  Massachusetts. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name*Company/Organization*Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCAPTCHACommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### International Business Tax CPAs – Atlanta (GA) INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX CPAS – ATLANTA (GA) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Atlanta and across Georgia. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Atlanta International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization, and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Atlanta (GA) The business community in Atlanta, Georgia, is a dynamic tapestry woven with innovation, diversity, and Southern hospitality. Nestled in the heart of the Southeast, Atlanta serves as a bustling economic center, attracting businesses from a myriad of industries including technology, finance, healthcare, and entertainment. A key driver of Atlanta's business success is its status as a major transportation hub. With the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and a robust network of highways and railways, the city serves as a gateway for commerce both domestically and internationally. This strategic advantage has helped cultivate a thriving corporate landscape, with many Fortune 500 companies choosing Atlanta as their headquarters. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Atlanta International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Atlanta and across Georgia. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. *** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_8[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="8_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: 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Submit Georgia International Economic Profile ### INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – WASHINGTON, DC INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – WASHINGTON, DC Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Washington DC. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken. Washington DC International Business Tax Services Initial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operation Transfer pricing studies Canada/U.S. cross border tax issues Mexico/U.S. cross border tax issues Direct and indirect foreign tax credit opportunities IC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporations Earnings repatriation planning Reorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporations Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence U.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employees Expatriate/ inpatriate tax matters Who is Schneider Downs? We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Washington DC Nestled along the banks of the Potomac River, Washington, D.C.'s business community radiates a unique blend of political influence, cultural significance, and economic vitality. Rooted in its role as the nation's capital, the city's economic landscape reflects a diverse array of industries and institutions that shape not only national policy but also global commerce. At its core, Washington, D.C. is renowned for its role as the epicenter of government and politics, with a concentration of federal agencies, diplomatic missions, and advocacy organizations. The presence of these institutions not only drives demand for professional services such as law, consulting, and lobbying but also fosters a robust ecosystem of research, think tanks, and policy analysis. National Reach We also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA). Contact Our Washington DC International Business Tax Accountants Schneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Washington DC and across the U.S. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. #gform_wrapper_8[data-form-index="2"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="8_2"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-secondary-darker: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-secondary-lighter: #FFFFFF;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light: rgba(17, 35, 55, 0.1);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-rgb: 17, 35, 55;--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-darker: rgba(104, 110, 119, 0.35);--gf-color-out-ctrl-light-lighter: #F5F5F5;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark: #585e6a;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-rgb: 88, 94, 106;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-darker: #112337;--gf-color-out-ctrl-dark-lighter: rgba(17, 35, 55, 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Submit Washington DC Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners Source – International Tax Administration ### Sell-Side Financial Due Diligence Sell-Side Financial Due Diligence It has been said that “Luck favors the prepared.” It has also been said that “Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.” What if that’s true? In the Business Advisory group here at Schneider Downs, our experience supports these claims. We have found that companies in the market to sell who have subjected themselves to rigorous sell-side financial due diligence have had better success in closing deals than companies that have not.Delays and discrepancies can quickly escalate a buyer’s anxiety, opening the door for negotiations to become contentious and possibly even fall apart altogether.  Allowing our team to come in and perform a quality of earnings analysis along with other procedures as a part of the sell-side financial due diligence process, will help prepare you to navigate the landscape of the negotiation process while increasing your credibility and the buyer’s confidence in you; two factors that only benefit you.Key advantages of investing in sell-side financial due diligence include, but are not limited to, the following:Accurate Valuation of the CompanyA seller needs to project an accurate picture of the company’s financial results, including pro forma adjustments supported by data and/or documents that can be verified by the buyer. By undertaking sell-side financial due diligence, our team will work to discover potential unidentified earnings adjustments that can increase the company’s valuation, resulting in more money in the seller’s pocket.Reduce Concerns of the BuyerWhen the reliability of financial information and/or data provided by the seller is in question, buyers can quickly lose confidence and interest. This often increases the buyer’s concerns around the viability of the business and decreases the buyer’s perceived value of your company.  Sell-side financial due diligence will provide the opportunity to assure that your data and financial information are both accurate and consistent, eliminating errors and possible fears.Minimize SurprisesSell-side financial due diligence will not necessarily identify every single potential problem or question involved in a deal, but it should address the most significant issues so that a deal does not dissolve because of unforeseen but preventable issues.  It is better to identify and address these concerns through sell-side financial due diligence than to allow for both the seller and buyer to be surprised when concerns arise with only days left in the exclusivity period.If you are considering selling your company, we highly recommend performing sell-side financial due diligence prior to marketing your company.  We understand that, for the seller, successfully exiting a business is just as important, if not more important, than starting and growing it.  It’s the trophy at the end of the championship season.  We can help prepare you for success and your desired outcome.Schneider Downs has extensive experience in providing buy-side and sell-side due diligence services.About Schneider Downs Transaction AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory team helps companies maximize the success of business transactions of all types, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, minority interest investments, management buy-outs, sale preparation, due diligence, valuations and succession planning. Our team consists of interdisciplinary dedicated professionals who provide support across all aspects of transactions.Learn more about our Transaction Advisory Services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Buy-Side Financial Due Diligence Buy-Side Financial Due Diligence Assessing and evaluating the opportunity to acquire a new business needs to be completed with swiftness, precision and discretion. Our professionals in the Business Advisory group at Schneider Downs are highly skilled to help you accomplish exactly that. Our team has decades of experience and has been involved in hundreds of successful transactions.While our experience has revealed that no target is perfect, we will work alongside you to help examine the key value drivers of the target and how they align with your strategic vision. Our inquiries and analysis are designed to aid you in making an informed decision, and equip you with the knowledge to engage in effective negotiations; resulting ultimately in a fair purchase price for the value obtained.Benefits of investing in buy-side financial due diligence with us include, but are not limited to, the following:Accurate Valuation of the Target CompanyBy analyzing the target’s historical financial results, including the quality of earnings, and how they link with its future projections, provides important insight into the viability of the company going forward. As a part of our process, we look to identify potential unidentified earnings adjustments, which could result in a more precise valuation, and thus a more accurate price for the assets obtained. The analysis also includes a careful review of the target’s assets and liabilities, on and off its balance sheet.Confidence and ClarityThe transactional process demands a healthy level of skepticism, but it also requires a clear head. We have found that the acquisition process tends to elicit a full spectrum of emotions for potential buyers. Our experience in the due diligence practice has trained us to remain focused and appropriately respond to information learned throughout the engagement, which allows us to obtain the answers to the buyer’s most important questions, bringing clarity to the opportunity and drowning out unnecessary noise.Smooth ProcessThe amount of data and information that is requested during the due diligence period is substantial, and often significant time is needed just to manage these requests. We have the resources in place to simply, easily and securely allow for the exchange of information to take place in a timely and accountable manner from beginning to end.If you are looking to acquire a company, engaging in buy-side financial due diligence is a prudent and necessary step to take in the evaluation process. Warren Buffett put it well, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” We are here to help assure the value you acquire is a rewarding multiple of the price you pay.Schneider Downs has extensive experience in providing buy-side and sell-side due diligence services.  Please contact Joel M. Rosenthal or Marc P. Brdar if you would like to get more information.About Schneider Downs Transaction AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory team helps companies maximize the success of business transactions of all types, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, minority interest investments, management buy-outs, sale preparation, due diligence, valuations and succession planning. Our team consists of interdisciplinary dedicated professionals who provide support across all aspects of transactions.Learn more about our Transaction Advisory Services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Exit and Succession Planning Exit and Succession Planning PRIMARY CONTACTS: David C. Brinkman CFA, CPA, CFP Schneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners.Exit and succession planning is one of the most important strategies you will need to implement throughout the life of your business, and whether you are ready to start today or in 10 years, it’s never too early to begin the discussions.  Schneider Downs is uniquely qualified to provide you with ideas, options and innovative solutions to meet whatever objectives you have in mind.We will help you address common obstacles to exit planning, explain why exit planning is important and a good business strategy, help to assess owner and business readiness, identify deal killers and apply the value acceleration methodology ™, along with identifying the solutions that best fit your objectives as well as understand the underlying tax, cash flow, estate, business and family considerations. We will help you address common obstacles to exit planning, explain why exit planning is important and a good business strategy, help to assess owner and business readiness, and identify deal killers.We utilize The Value Builder System to provide a Value Builder PREScore that provides you with a good understanding of what role your team will play in securing a satisfying exit. The assessment provides the 4 Key Drivers of an exit without regret. You can get your score at the link below.The Value Builder SystemOur Exit and Succession Planning Advisors are comprised of advisory professionals from five practice units—assurance and tax advisors, business advisory, technology advisors, corporate finance and wealth management—to deliver seamless, fully integrated exit and succession solutions.Download our Exit and Succession Planning service overview to learn more or contact us today to get started.Our experts include:Certified Exit Planning Advisors (CEPA)CPAsAttorneysAccredited Investment Fiduciary ProfessionalsCFAsCIMAsSo whether you are unsure of your next steps, are looking at a buyer, private equity or public offering or thinking of transitioning to family, key management, gifting to individuals or trusts, or considering an ESOP, Schneider Downs will listen, understand, create, manage and fully execute your exit and succession plan. Subscribe to Our Value Builder Newsletter Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Contact Tax We want to hear from you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? * Email Phone How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Tax Services for the Education Sector Tax Services for the Education Sector Our Higher Education Tax Services Group is nationally recognized for its technical expertise and extensive experience in tax and business matters that affect academic institutions.  Our professionals are quick to assess the tax implications associated with your activities and bring practical solutions to your institution.  Our team is well-versed in areas of taxation specific to colleges and universities, and assists clients with the following tax services:Compliance Matters For The Education SectorForm 990 and 990-T preparation and reviewAnalysis of uncertain income tax positionsUnrelated business incomeJoint ventures and partnership reportingSupporting organizationsSubstantiation of charitable contributionsState and local tax exemption and complianceCharitable solicitation registrationForeign investment reportingNon-resident alien reportingFederal tax auditsFBAR filing analysisInternational tax issues association with study abroad programsCompensation and benefits design reviewGovernance/policy Tax Matters For The Education SectorConflict-of-interest policy and managementFringe benefits and compensation mattersBoard educationIntermediate sanctionsAuxiliary And Investment Activities For The Education SectorUnrelated business income activitiesAlternative investment complianceJoint venturesShared service agreementsFor-profit subsidiariesCorporate restructuringTransaction analysisState And Local Tax Services For The Education SectorSchneider Downs has a dedicated State and Local Tax (SALT) practice, which has been assisting clients with complex tax issues for more than 50 years. Our SALT professionals remain steadfast in our commitment to consistently monitor, evaluate and update our higher education clients regarding state and local tax changes and developments. The expertise and dedication of our SALT group allows our clients to optimize their tax situations and assure compliance with evolving laws and regulations. Our comprehensive array of SALT services include:Sales and use tax compliance reviewSales and use tax refund reviewUncertain income tax position complianceRealty exemption challengesLegislative assistanceFor a list of the services that Schneider Downs can provide to educational institutions in the Pittsburgh and Columbus regions, and across the United States, please visit our education sector services webpage. ### Business Advisory Business Advisory Contact Us Today In a business world or rapidly changing economic conditions and legislation, organizations are challenged more than ever before to remain current, informed and insightful.Our team of dedicated advisors are experienced across a wide scope of specialties, allowing us to help our clients make more informed business decisions across every facet of their operations.Download our Business Advisory practice overview for more information. BUSINESS ADVISORY SOLUTIONS Accounting Advisory Services Accounting Advisory Services Focus on protecting and enhancing the value of your… Business Restructuring Schneider Downs Business Restructuring Experienced and practical guidance through the complex issues… Business Valuation Services Business Valuation Services The valuation of any business or asset is a… Forensics and Litigation Services Forensics and Litigation Services Navigate the complex litigation landscape with confidence. Meet… Managed Accounting Services Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or… Transaction Advisory Services Trusted guidance to create value at every stage of business transactions. Contact… meet the team ADDITIONAL SERVICES FINANCIAL AND CASH FLOW MODELING COMPENSATION STUDIES MANAGEMENT ADVISORY PROFITABILITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT SERVICES Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Enjoy more of what COUNTS at Schneider Downs. Enjoy more of what COUNTS at Schneider Downs. At Schneider Downs, we prioritize your growth and development within a caring culture and work together toward collaborative impact. We are committed to your personal and professional development, offering coaching and mentoring tailored to each individual. 1 Culture of Care At Schneider Downs, our culture is our identity. And it’s our culture of care that makes us unique. Even as we grow, we work hard to retain this culture to continuously promote a positive, supportive work environment through our core values: Care, Integrity, Flexibility, Respect, and Drive. We make our team members feel welcomed and at home, beginning with a robust onboarding program and continuing through formal mentoring and development programs, as well as activities created to foster camaraderie and support.  2 Flexibility Flexibility is at the core of our culture, giving you the autonomy and empowerment to thrive. Schneider Downs has embraced the hybrid work model, so you will have flexibility working from home, as well as the office. We understand the importance of balancing the needs of our clients and the development of our people with flexibility, and we believe flexibility must be a joint commitment between the firm and its employees rooted in trust, strong communication, and a commitment to excellence. 3 Growth & Development Schneider Downs is proud that we have created a unique culture through which our professionals can thrive and develop. Our firm’s history of growth and continual introduction of new services provide broad opportunities for career variety and advancement. Our leaning environment, with hands-on work from day one, will allow you to learn and grow quickly. We offer a mentorship program to help guide and support new team members in their transition to Schneider Downs. 4 Collaborative Impact Schneider Downs is a well-recognized, established, and collaborative firm in which you can impact many clients by providing value and solutions to our clients with whom you’ll build rewarding and lasting relationships. You’re not just a number here. You’ll gain national firm experience, with a regional touch, and will have the opportunity to work on wide-ranging client sizes, industries, and project complexities. 5 Total Rewards Schneider Downs’ total rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and programs to make your professional life better. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package to all full-time and eligible part-time employees, many of which are available on the first day of employment. We regularly monitor our benefits to ensure that it is best in class and the current offerings include, but are not limited to: competitive compensation; insurance, including health, dental, and vision, that begin on day one; 20+ days of paid time off and 13 paid holidays; Flex Fridays and office closures for summer and winter breaks; parental leave, family care leave, and volunteer time; 401(k) plans and profit sharing; CPA exam bonus, education assistance program, and pet insurance. 6 Community Consistent with our Mission Statement of Working Together Every Day to Make Our Firm, Clients and Communities Better, Schneider Downs is committed to giving back to our communities and providing our employees with opportunities to do so. We do this, in part, through a team of dedicated Schneider Downs personnel who comprise our “SD Cares” Committee, whose mission is to be a resource to all employees to learn about volunteer opportunities in our communities. The firm also provides PTO for approved volunteering activities. 7 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion At Schneider Downs, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to a better company, better client services and a better world. We want everyone to feel they can be themselves by sharing the wide range of perspectives they represent, thereby fostering an environment where differences are truly valued and celebrated. We are committed to our culture of care with a welcoming environment, programs and initiatives that are designed to foster a community and celebrate differences.  1 Culture of Care At Schneider Downs, our culture is our identity. And it’s our culture of care that makes us unique. Even as we grow, we work hard to retain this culture to continuously promote a positive, supportive work environment through our core values: Care, Integrity, Flexibility, Respect, and Drive. We make our team members feel welcomed and at home, beginning with a robust onboarding program and continuing through formal mentoring and development programs, as well as activities created to foster camaraderie and support.  2 Flexibility Flexibility is at the core of our culture, giving you the autonomy and empowerment to thrive. Schneider Downs has embraced the hybrid work model, so you will have flexibility working from home, as well as the office. We understand the importance of balancing the needs of our clients and the development of our people with flexibility, and we believe flexibility must be a joint commitment between the firm and its employees rooted in trust, strong communication, and a commitment to excellence. 3 Growth & Development Schneider Downs is proud that we have created a unique culture through which our professionals can thrive and develop. Our firm’s history of growth and continual introduction of new services provide broad opportunities for career variety and advancement. Our leaning environment, with hands-on work from day one, will allow you to learn and grow quickly. We offer a mentorship program to help guide and support new team members in their transition to Schneider Downs. 4 Collaborative Impact Schneider Downs is a well-recognized, established, and collaborative firm in which you can impact many clients by providing value and solutions to our clients with whom you’ll build rewarding and lasting relationships. You’re not just a number here. You’ll gain national firm experience, with a regional touch, and will have the opportunity to work on wide-ranging client sizes, industries, and project complexities. 5 Total Rewards Schneider Downs’ total rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and programs to make your professional life better. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package to all full-time and eligible part-time employees, many of which are available on the first day of employment. We regularly monitor our benefits to ensure that it is best in class and the current offerings include, but are not limited to: competitive compensation; insurance, including health, dental, and vision, that begin on day one; 20+ days of paid time off and 13 paid holidays; Flex Fridays and office closures for summer and winter breaks; parental leave, family care leave, and volunteer time; 401(k) plans and profit sharing; CPA exam bonus, education assistance program, and pet insurance. 6 Community Consistent with our Mission Statement of Working Together Every Day to Make Our Firm, Clients and Communities Better, Schneider Downs is committed to giving back to our communities and providing our employees with opportunities to do so. We do this, in part, through a team of dedicated Schneider Downs personnel who comprise our "SD Cares" Committee, whose mission is to be a resource to all employees to learn about volunteer opportunities in our communities. The firm also provides PTO for approved volunteering activities. 7 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion At Schneider Downs, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to a better company, better client services and a better world. We want everyone to feel they can be themselves by sharing the wide range of perspectives they represent, thereby fostering an environment where differences are truly valued and celebrated. We are committed to our culture of care with a welcoming environment, programs and initiatives that are designed to foster a community and celebrate differences.  total rewards Best-in-class benefits are anything but basic -“ experience the extras that make work infinitely more rewarding. read more Work-Life Balance  Embrace professional challenges and enjoy a full personal life with a culture that facilitates work-life balance. read more For more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings.Questions? Contact us today. Have a question? Ask us! Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. ### Sarbanes-Oxley Solutions Sarbanes-Oxley Solutions Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider Downs delivers a comprehensive suite of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) solutions tailored to your company’s specific needs. Whether you need a one-time assessment of controls or ongoing support, we adapt to your requirements and deliver tailored SOX services specific to your organization. Our teams have extensive experience collaborating with companies to ensure an effective SOX program. SOX Controls Optimization Our SOX program takes a focused approach to optimizing your SOX program, including strategy, structure, and controls. For a successful SOX program, all components must work in harmony and progress together. We assess the scope, risks, testing strategies, and documentation—such as key controls, testing results, risk mapping, flowcharts, and walkthroughs—to ensure they operate at peak effectiveness and efficiency. By evaluating these factors, we help enhance the overall performance of your SOX controls and program. SOX Readiness Services Schneider Downs helps companies implement and support their SOX programs, emphasizing scoping, documentation, and key controls. Whether you're pre-IPO or an SRC moving to an accelerated filer, we’ll guide you in developing the right strategy, structure, processes, and technology, ensuring effective design and operation while meeting independence requirements. SOX Services for Public Companies Our team of experienced professionals help support existing SOX programs. We provide an entire suite of SOX services, including scoping, walkthroughs to assess control design, detailed testing to assess control effectiveness, issue tracking and remediation, and coordination with necessary stakeholders, Our team consists of business process and IT professionals to provide comprehensive SOX solutions. SOX Services for Smaller Reporting Companies (SRC) Schneider Downs assists SRCs not subject to the SOX 404(b) auditor attestation requirement in achieving SOX compliance that aligns with management, and where necessary, external auditor, expectations. Our experienced team collaborates with companies to design and execute a cost-effective approach for management’s attestation of effective internal controls over financial reporting. Our SOX Approach and Methodology Our proven SOX methodology follows a disciplined approach aligned with industry-leading practices, ensuring consistent execution and high-quality results for both business processes and IT. Our methodology focuses on continuous improvement through training, awareness, thought leadership, and regular communication to keep stakeholders informed. Aligned with SEC and PCAOB standards, as well as the COSO framework, it enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of Sarbanes-Oxley programs. This ensures organizations can identify significant risks of material misstatement and implement the necessary processes and controls to mitigate those risks. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs’ IT, financial, and operational audit professionals stay updated on SOX guidance and legislation, bringing extensive Sarbanes-Oxley experience across diverse domestic and international industries. We are proficient in various processes, applications, platforms, and databases, including HR, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Inventory, SAP, Oracle ERP, and JDE. Ready to get started? Contact the team directly. SOX Resources SOX Service Overview SOX Resource Center About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory team collaborates closely with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our objective is not only to address risks associated with potential losses but also to implement solutions that add value and ensure minimal disruption to your business. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study Our Thoughts On Strong IT General Controls, Smarter Technology: How Smaller Reporting Companies Can Innovate with Confidence Why are strong IT General Controls (ITGCs) essential for smaller reporting companies (SRCs) embracing automation and AI? For smaller reporting… Read More > 5 Ways Smaller Reporting Companies Can Gain Flexibility with SOX Smaller Reporting Companies (SRCs) can improve SOX compliance by using a risk-based approach to prioritize control testing and allocate resources… Read More > Benefits of Internal Audit Involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE Implementations What are the benefits of internal audit involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE implementations? As more companies embark on… Read More > McBreach: Vendor’s Use of '123456' Exposes 64 Million McDonald’s Job Applicants Would you like your personal data exposed because of a weak password? That’s the one question McDonald’s hiring website forgot… Read More > Changing the Game - What the NCAA's New NIL Revenue Framework Means On June 6th, 2025, the NCAA’s landmark House v. NCAA settlement was officially approved, transforming the way student-athletes can earn… Read More > ### SOC Case Study - Secure Communications Software Start-up SOC Case Study - Secure Communications Software Start-up Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPWhat can you tell us about your company/history of your company?We are a secure communications software startup coming to a more mature level, 60 or so employees, globally, at almost five years since founding.Why did you want a Service Organization Control Report?As a company in the security space, we felt it was important to pursue a third-party attestation of the work we were doing to ensure the security of our products and customers. Rather than vague statements about using or leveraging varying frameworks, and promises of security, an independent third-party examination of our security controls and effectiveness would go a lot farther. Specifically, we chose a SOC 2 report, as we had several FinTech deals in the pipeline, and the SOC 2 report resonates particularly well in that space, as well as being well accepted in general.Why is the SOC 2 Type 2 report valuable from your customers’ perspective?As an independent third party, the auditors review our controls and posture. Not just a binary certificate, like some other standards, the SOC 2 report allows potential stakeholders, like customer or investors, to review, or have reviewed, the report, to ensure the control set is what they would expect for the product/company/service. Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC report?As a smaller business, at the front of the technology curve for our industry, we were really looking for a smaller firm we felt would have closer relationships. The larger firms we spoke to had a mentality we were afraid wouldn’t mesh well with us. As a highly innovative product and service, we are very used to having to explain ourselves, and wanted to be certain someone would listen. Having met one of the audit leaders at Schneider Downs professionally, I was certain this would bethe case, and it was.Can you describe your experience with Schneider Downs?I was very pleased with our experience. This was our initial report, and initial third-party examination. While we had prepared hard, there was some trepidation. The auditors, and the audit leadership made the process very smooth. As we encountered issues with evidencing certain controls, we were able to discuss the issues, and find a course of action to provide the documentation needed to prove the control effectiveness. In a modern Agile system, this is not always the easiest thing to do, but we were able to find creative solutions, together, to meet the goals of providing the report, while upholding the standards of the same.How has your SOC report process been beneficial?By the time we received our final report, we had three customers waiting for it as part of their Due Diligence of us. Since then, we have used it numerous times to shorten conversations regarding security practices. That is, as third party surveys or Due Diligence has come up, we have simply provided the SOC 2 report for review. There are occasional questions that are beyond the scope of the report, but it is certainly easier than responding manually to every request. The fact that is not just our statement, but the word of seasoned SOC report practitioners, simply reduces the friction in the sales cycle, especially for the space we are in.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at SOC. ### SOC Case Study - Pharmacy Provider SOC Case Study - Pharmacy Provider Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPWhy did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC Report?Out of 5 or 6 firms interviewed for our SOC 2 engagement, Schneider Downs was the only firm to inform us that the AICPA was soon updating to the ‘2017 Trust Services Criteria’ and that we would likely benefit more from meeting these new criteria prior to beginning a SOC 2 audit.That very first phone call provided us with more helpful information than had been gathered from all of the other firms combined.    Right from the beginning it was obvious Schneider Downs was genuinely interested in ensuring we got the best value out of our SOC 2 audit experience. What was it like to work with Schneider Downs?This was our first SOC 2 audit so we had many, many questions along the way!  The team answered every one of our questions quickly, completely and with earnestness.  We never felt uneasy asking a question.  The team at Schneider Downs worked cohesively as well.  We never had to repeat ourselves because the whole team was always up to date on our progress and could jump right in without a hiccup.  And, the team was very well-versed in Information Technology.  They were able to bridge any communication gaps between technical language and compliance language to ensure both sides understood one another. What is an example of how Schneider Downs went “the extra mile” to serve you?Schneider Downs went above and beyond our expectations many times throughout our SOC 2 gap analysis and audit.  The team took the initiative to fully understand our complex business structure,  explained every step of the SOC 2 engagement with patience, maintained responsive communication with us, and even helped us with a few off-topic compliance related questions! What value did the SOC 2 Report provide to your organization?Now that we have a SOC 2 Report we are able to offer clients tangible reassurance of our commitment to protecting their data.  Clients can hold a copy of the report in their hands and rest assured knowing an independent third-party has tested and reported on the effectiveness of our controls.  Because of that, our SOC 2 Report places us at an advantage over the competition right from day one of the proposal process.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at SOC. ### SOC Case Study - Information Technology Services SOC 2 Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSchneider Downs completed a Service Organization (SOC) Type 2 report for a leading SaaS provider that empowers retailers and manufacturers to drive new product success by introducing the right new products at the right price.The client offers a cloud-based software solution that gives retailers and manufacturers insight into expected product performance and optimal entry price points for new items that have no sales history, all within 48-72 hours.  Retailers and brands use the solution to develop, select, and price more winning products.The client uses a scalable platform that enables thousands of consumers to evaluate hundreds of new products through online games that are presented via social media, websites, emails, and on mobile devices.  The predictive analytic solution filters and weighs consumer input, ensuring that clients are listening to the right consumers.  The results have been 3%-9% gains in sales and margin dollars for all customers. The Chief Technology Officer shared her thoughts with Schneider Downs on the SOC 2 Type 2 report:Why is the SOC 2 Type 2 report valuable from you customers’ perspective?Because we are a SaaS solution, it is important for our customers to know we have sufficient controls in place to ensure that we are managing the information they provide us in a secure and business-appropriate manner.  The SOC 2 principles and criteria provide a standard framework for us to demonstrate evidence of our controls without our customers have to conduct their own due diligence audit on our systems.How has the SOC 2 report process added to the Security and Processing Integrity of your SaaS offering?It mobilized our company to this about the best practices for managing inputs into our solution, monitoring consumer engagement activities, and producing customer results from our systems, and to develop Policies and Procedures that encourage those best practices and mitigate risk.  The Policies and Procedures related to Security and Processing Integrity we have developed have also simplified new hire training, as it was easier to develop training materials and track compliance.Can you describe your experience with Schneider Downs?Schneider Downs was professional and knowledgeable and worked with us from a point of view wanting us to succeed.  They worked hard to understand our business and worked with us to develop controls that made sense for our company.  The challenged us when necessary and they helped us ultimately build a framework that made us better as a company.  I look forward to working with them again on the next testing phase.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at SOC. ### SOC Case Study - Information Technology Services Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSchneider Downs completed a Service Organization (SOC) report for a leading provider of remote database administration, operating system and Oracle EBS support services. The client provides around-the-clock support for all major database products, including Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, MYSQL and Oracle EBS and also provides operating system support for all major variations of the UNIX and LINUX operating systems.  The Director of Customer Value and Service Delivery shared his thoughts with Schneider Downs on the SOC report:Why did you want a Service Organization Control Report?Database administrators, by the very nature of their profession, are the protectors of an organization’s critical database assets.  When a mission-critical application becomes unavailable, it can threaten the survivability of a business.  The financial impact of downtime is not the only issue that companies face when critical applications are offline.  Loss of customer goodwill, bad press and legal penalties can all damage a company’s reputation.  As a result, the quality of our work must be without question.  One of the first questions prospective customers ask is if we have a SOC report.  The SOC report provides potential and existing customers with the peace of mind knowing that our support activities have been reviewed by an independent organization that specializes in measuring service quality.  It is extremely beneficial to attracting new customers and keeping existing customers happy.Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC report?We wanted a company that had extensive experience in providing SOC auditing and reporting experience.  In addition, we were looking for an organization that possessed an excellent reputation for these types of services.  The reputation of the firm providing the SOC audits is extremely important to the credibility of the report.  Having a firm like Schneider Downs work with us on our SOC report provided our organization with the level of credibility that we wanted.Can you describe your experience with Schneider Downs?Schneider Downs’ engagement team was extremely knowledgeable about the entire process. Our organization spent many hours reviewing SOC information before we selected Schneider Downs. What I found out during Schneider Downs’ first visit was how much we truly didn’t know about the SOC process. The engagement team took the time to educate us from the top down. They worked with us to identify what operational activities were truly important to the quality of service we provide to our customers.They also provided advice on the processes and reports that would be required to measure the quality of these services. Security is of the utmost importance to our organization. Schneider Downs knew that coming in, and worked with us to create a set of measures to evaluate not only service delivery quality but service delivery security.Schneider Downs clearly stated all deadlines and timeframes in both verbal and written communications. They described all of the stages that were involved in the audit process. My organization clearly understood where Schneider Downs was in the analysis, evaluation and reporting stages.The SOC-1 report exactly met our needs. Schneider Downs did an excellent job during the initial stages of the engagement to educate us about what operations were important to be audited, why they were important and how to effectively measure them.  Schneider Downs then reviewed our measurement processes to ensure accuracy. They quickly “learned our business,” which was very beneficial to the process. We have had numerous customers’ auditing departments review our SOC-1 report with no questions asked.How has your SOC report process been beneficial?The SOC report process has been extremely beneficial to our organization. Although we knew we provided high-quality service to our customers, creating additional measurements allowed us to further increase the quality of our support processes.  Every prospective customer asks us if we have a SOC report. The SOC1 process has been the most beneficial project we have undertaken. Every service delivery organization should have a third party perform an in-depth review of its support processes.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at SOC. ### SOC Case Study - HR Outsourcing Provider SOC 1 Case Study Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSchneider Downs completed a Service Organization Controls (SOC 1) report for an HR outsourcing company.Why did you want a Service Organization Control (SOC) report?Our company provides HR Outsourcing Services in the areas of HR Administration, Benefits, Payroll, Workers Compensation and Technology Infrastructure in a bundled solution. The SOC 1 provided to our customers evidences if the proper controls and processes are in place to ensure that their financial information, including client and employee setup, employee maintenance, payroll processing and auditing, financial and tax administration, are properly performed. The SOC 1 also provides them with assurance that their data is secure.Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC report?We chose Schneider Downs as a partner to perform the SOC 1 Type 2 report because of their reputation and their prior working experience with our company. They have been an integral part by auditing our financials, Section 125 plans, Retirement Savings Plan, and other areas. They have provided excellent service since day one.How long have you worked with Schneider Downs?We have been working with Schneider Downs for various services mentioned previously since 2007.Can you describe your experience with Schneider Downs?We have found Schneider Downs to be an excellent partner. They are very knowledgeable and supportive in meeting all of our needs. They are very organized and attuned to meeting their deliverables on time. They are very accommodating to our schedules and work very hard to make adjustments as needed.How has the SOC report process been beneficial to your organization?Our SOC report process has been beneficial for our company in communicating to our customers that we strive to provide the highest level of service that we can possibly provide. It has given our clients assurance that we maintain the highest control standards with regards to the services we provide. It has also given our clients’ auditors comfort that we are maintaining an effective control environment.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at SOC. ### SOC Case Study - Healthcare Management/Third Party Administrator Case Study SOC Case Study - Healthcare Management/Third Party Administrator Case Study Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSchneider Downs completes Service Organization Control (SOC) reports for a national healthcare management and technology company devoted to improving outcomes for professional providers and the patience they serve.The company provides solutions for physician groups, healthcare systems, provider networks and EMS organizations, enabling them to reach maximum potential with respect to operational, financial and clinical outcomes.  Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, the company has offices located throughout the United States. The Director of Internal Audit shared her thoughts on working with Schneider Downs.Why did you want a Service Organization Control (SOC) Report?By having a SOC report performed, we are able to provide additional assurance to our customers of our efficient medical billing services, and also validate internally our processes and controls.Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC Report?Schneider Downs performs our external financial statement audit and tax preparation. We have been pleased with the firm’s level of knowledge and our relationship with Schneider Downs, and felt the firm would continue to provide great service in this area.How long have you worked with Schneider Downs?I personally have worked with Schneider Downs since I joined our team in July 2008.  Our company has worked with Schneider Downs since the firm engaged to perform the 2006 financial statement audit.Can you describe your experience with Schneider Downs?The SOC report experience with Schneider Downs has been great.  The engagement team communicates effectively, reports have been timely, and they have ensured that all applicable parties are informed appropriately.How has your SOC report process been beneficial?By going through the readiness phase, it has allowed me to become intimately involved in our operations.  I got a good look “behind the scenes” and learned a great deal about our operations that I never would have otherwise.Also, another line of business within our company recently won a large bid for a client who requires a SOC report.  Through our previous experience, we are prepared to move forward more quickly.Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainsAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at www.schneiderdowns.com/soc. ### SOC Case Study - Data Center/Secure Application Host SOC Case Study - Data Center/Secure Application Host Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP Schneider Downs completed a Service Organization Control (SOC) report for a leading provider of scalable and secure application hosting, virtualization and data center solutions. The client services businesses across the United States, while maintaining technical certifications and partner relationships with Microsoft, VMWare, EMC, Citrix Systems, Cisco and Liebert. A senior engineer shared his thoughts on working with Schneider Downs on the SOC Report. Why did you want a Service Organization Control (SOC) Report? We manage a vast number of clients and their data. We felt that we needed to have controls in place so our customers know that we are providing the services we say we are, and following the procedures we have in place. Some of our customers fall under Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), and having a Type II SOC report over our managed data center services also helped with their SOX compliance. Why did you choose to partner with Schneider Downs for your SOC report? Schneider Downs was highly recommended by a local CPA we know and, after meeting with them, we couldn’t agree more. How long have you worked with Schneider Downs? We have worked with Schneider Downs since 2009. Can you describe your experience working with Schneider Downs? The firm has been great to work with. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. They are always a phone call or email away, and their response time is great. How has your SOC report process been beneficial? We have been able to provide the report to our customers and put their minds at ease that their data is being protected. The SOC report process also has helped us internally identify risks that have now been mitigated by the procedures we put in place. This protects us…and our customers. Schneider Downs SOC Services SOC 1 Examinations SOC 2 Examinations SOC 3 Examinations SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Supply Chains About Schneider Downs SOC Services Schneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at www.schneiderdowns.com/soc. ### SOC Report Quiz SOC Report Quiz Does your organization need a system and organization controls (SOC) report? SOC examinations provide management with assurance regarding the effectiveness of an organization's internal controls, while also providing insights for opportunities to improve internal controls and risk mitigation activities. Obtaining a SOC report has become increasingly relevant for organizations of all sizes, as the report demonstrates that effective internal controls and related safeguards have been implemented. Does your organization need a SOC Report? Take our brief quiz to help answer the question. 2Do the financial statement auditors of your organization's customers (user entities) request System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports for your organization and/or request to perform audit procedures on your organization's activities for the services provided to customers? Yes No Don't Know 3Do contracts with your organization's customers or prospective customers require you to provide a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report or have a right to audit clause? Yes No Don't Know 4Do you receive requests from your customers or prospective customers to provide System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports? Yes No Don't Know 5Does your organization use or provide applications that are software-as-a-service (SaaS) or platform-as-a-service (PaaS)? Yes No Don't Know 6Does your organization store, process or transmit confidential information or sensitive data (e.g., personally identifiable information (PII), personal health information (PHI), proprietary customer information, credit cards) on behalf of customers? Yes No Don't Know 7Does your organization need assurance regarding information security and/or compliance requirements (e.g., HIPAA, HITRUST, PCI, FISMA, ISO 27001, etc.) or is your organization operating in a regulated environment? Yes No Don't Know 8Does management of your organization want to obtain assurance regarding the internal controls at your organization relative to security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity and/or privacy? Yes No Don't Know CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### IFRS Resource Center PRIMARY CONTACTS: Joseph A. Bruce, Todd J. LucasU.S. companies may be required to convert their financial reporting from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). As it currently stands, approximately 120 countries permit or require reporting in accordance with IFRS. This convergence of standards will affect public companies as well as non-public companies.If and when IFRS becomes the global accounting standard, the only remaining questions for U.S. companies are “when?” and “how?” The SEC answered the “when” with its release of a proposed roadmap, which includes a timeline for adopting IFRS, beginning in 2014 for public companies.  With no definitive timeline for IFRS implementation for privately-held companies, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issues IFRS for small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs), a condensed version of full IFRS that should be easier to adapt and implement, in July 2009.As for the “how,” that is a more difficult question to answer. IFRS will not only affect your company’s finance and accounting departments, but also will affect processes, internal controls and information technology systems. With many companies already mired in the daily grind of financial accounting and reporting under a set of often complex standards, learning, adapting, implementing, and understanding these international standards will be a challenge.  There is a reasonable, cost-effective solution to convergence service providers with Schneider Downs.Our experienced personnel can assist with project management and planning, needs and GAP analysis, information systems reviews, as well as training and understanding of IFRS and its impact on you.Read recent IFRS updates.LinksInternational Accounting Standards Board (IASB) IFRSFinancial Accounting Standards BoardAICPA IFRS ResourcesU.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionInternational Federation of AccountantsAICPA IFRS ResourcesAdditional ResourcesPrimeGlobalConference to Review the Effects of IFRS Adoption in Global Capital MarketsWorld GAAP and IFRS ComparisonSEC Work PlanSEC Work Plan Progress Report - 10/29/10SEC Work Plan - 5/26/11 Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Schneider Downs Careers ### Profitability and Operations Management Services Profitability and Operations Management Services PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Adam J. Goode, CPAMaximizing the value of a business is an integrated effort that involves nearly everyone within an organization. Without clear visibility, policies and analytical tools, there is a good chance your organization could be leaving money on the table. Profitability management is a journey, with each organization’s unique challenges requiring custom solutions based on industry best practices.Our ServicesSchneider Downs’ Profitability and Operations Management team provide services to pinpoint untapped opportunities. Through partnering with executives, management and staff, our services support and improve Strategic Pricing and the Sales, Inventory and Operations Processes (SIOP) to optimize bottom-line results.Profitability and Operations Management ResourcesProfitability and Operations Management Service Overview Success Story – Inventory Profit OpportunitySuccess Story – Operations Profit OpportunitySuccess Story – Strategic Pricing Profit OpportunityAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Full Accounting Services Full Accounting Solution Schneider Downs Full Accounting Solution ensures timely recording of your transactions, efficient execution of month-end and accurate financial reporting.A sound accounting function is an essential component of managing a profitable business. Whether you need to implement a full accounting solution or receive as-needed support for your existing team, Schneider Downs helps you achieve your goals.Benefits of outsourcing the management of your accounting function include:Accounting Efficiency and AccuracyAbility for Leadership to focus on growing their businessCost ControlElimination of Management and Turnover IssuesImplementation of Best PracticesOur experienced team utilizes innovative technology to enhance your solution, including implementation of artificial intelligence to automate your bookkeeping. The artificial intelligence platform combines machine learning with the oversight of skilled accountants, allowing timely and accurate:In addition, Schneider Downs professionals routinely provide clients with recommendations based on our analysis.Automated BookkeepingBook period-end adjusting entriesClass and Department tracking and reportingDaily or weekly categorization of bank and credit card transactionsEmployee expense reimbursement management through ExpensifyPayroll Journal EntriesWeekly Accounts Payable Processing through Bill.comMonth-End Close Assistance – Ensure 5- or 10-day month-end closeBank and Credit Card ReconciliationsIncome Statement and Balance Sheet review for unusual balances or discrepanciesMonth-end checklist managementRevenue ReconciliationReview of period-end adjusting entriesMonth-End ReportingDepartment or Class ReportingKPI analysisStandard reporting, including Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Statement by the 10th or 15th day of the month  Ready to Get Started?Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or download the Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services brochure for more information.ResourcesManaged Accounting Services OverviewRelated ServicesCFO Services Controller Services About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting ServicesSchneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/managed-accounting-services. ### Controller Services Controller Services Many accounting functions struggle to produce the timely, accurate reporting, analysis and planning tools leadership teams need to drive good business decisions.A controller is a critical component of ongoing success of profitable organizations who are responsible for providing accurate and timely reporting. Profitable businesses excel in these areas, allowing leaders to grow their business with confidence.If your team needs additional support to produce the tools you need, consider Schneider Downs Controller Services as your solution.With Schneider Downs, you can supplement your existing team with scalable solutions which commonly include:Month-end closeAccount reconciliationsBank reconciliationsMonthly financial reportingMonthly KPI reportingBudget to actual analysisAudit supportTax supportAccounting policy and procedures analysisAccounting and finance department oversightReady to Get Started?Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or download the Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services brochure for more information.ResourcesManaged Accounting Services OverviewRelated ServicesCFO ServicesFull Accounting ServicesAbout Schneider Downs Managed Accounting ServicesSchneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals.Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/managed-accounting-services. ### CFO Services CFO Services With Schneider Downs, you can outsource your CFO function to our team of CFOs, CPAs and experienced accounting professionals to help guide your business toward a path to success. If you need a CFO but prefer the expertise at a cost that meets your budget, or you’ve recently lost your full time CFO, consider Schneider Downs CFO Services. Schneider Downs CFO Services provide the strategic financial leadership needed to grow your business with scalable solutions which commonly include: Accounting and finance department oversight Budgeting and forecasting Cash management Financial growth strategy Financial modeling Fundraising support Investor and bank relations Profitability analysis Strategic planning “What if” scenario planning Our team of experienced professionals provide the strategic financial leadership and can deliver customized services responsive to your organization’s specific needs often at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time CFO. Ready to Get Started? Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or download the Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services brochure for more information. Resources Managed Accounting Services Overview Related Services Controller Services Full Accounting Solution About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/managed-accounting-services. ### Managed Accounting Services Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs.Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources, staffing challenges or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services bring the right talent and expertise to you.Whether you need to implement a full accounting solution or are searching for supplemental support to your existing team, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. Key services include:CFO ServicesA CFO plays a vital role in the ongoing success of profitable organizations. The ideal CFO has a wide range of experience and skills, as well as the ability to communicate with Business Owners, CEO’s or the Board of Directors. As a result, hiring a fully qualified, full-time CFO can be cost prohibitive to growing businesses. If you need a CFO but prefer the expertise at a cost that meets your budget, or if you’ve recently lost your full time CFO, consider Schneider Downs CFO Services. Learn more about Schneider Downs CFO Services.Controller ServicesMany accounting functions struggle to produce the timely, accurate reporting, analysis and planning tools leadership teams need to drive good business decisions. Profitable businesses excel in these areas, allowing leaders to grow their business with confidence. If your team needs an outsourced controller function or support, consider Schneider Downs Controller Services as your solution. Learn more about Schneider Downs Controller Services.Full Accounting SolutionSome companies choose to outsource their entire accounting and finance functions.  In addition to CFO Services and Controller Services, Schneider Downs offers a solution for full outsourcing of the accounting and finance functions, including daily transactional accounting, accounts payable and bill pay activities, and accounts receivable and invoicing activities. Learn more about Schneider Downs Full Accounting Solution.Ready to Get Started?Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or Managed Accounting Services Overview for more information.ResourcesManaged Accounting Services OverviewAbout Schneider Downs Business AdvisoryIn a business world of rapidly changing economic conditions and legislation, organizations are challenged more than ever before to remain current, informed and insightful. Our team of dedicated consultants has experience across a broad scope of specialties, allowing us to help our clients make more informed business decisions across every facet of their operations.Learn more at our dedicated Business Advisory page. ### Litigation Support Services Litigation Support Services Delivering credible analysis, expert testimony, and strategic insight for complex legal matters Schneider Downs litigation support specialists maintain a variety of advanced professional and analytical skills, and professional certifications.If you are an attorney representing claims for lost profits, intellectual property disputes, breach of contract, insurance claims, construction claims, and valuations of closely held businesses, Schneider Downs litigation support specialists have the professional credentials and experience you need to assist you with your caseload. Our team has earned a reputation for rapid response, thorough preparation for court, and poise, presence and credibility as expert witnesses.Schneider Downs litigation support specialists maintain a variety of advanced professional and analytical skills, and professional certifications including Certified in Financial Forensics (CFFs) and accredited Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs).Our team members have diversified financial and business experience, as well as familiarity with the legal process, which enables them to effectively identify key issues on each case. Added to this is the solid reputation and expertise of one of the nation’s largest independent accounting firms, assured by the highest ethical standards and credentials held by its shareholders and professionals.Litigation Support in ActionAnalysis of damage claims, including those for lost profits, business interruption and acceleration and delay claimsAssistance with discovery, including the review and preparation of document requests, attendance at depositions and preparation of interrogatoriesBusiness valuation and forensic accounting as related to shareholder disputesDevelopment of claim theory and related damage issuesExpert testimonyPreparation of financial models and assistance with settlement negotiationsPresentation of financial data and related information to triers of factOur professionals are experienced in analyzing and presenting complex financial issues in a clear and usable format in a variety of forums. These forums have included courts, arbitration, mediation and regulatory bodies.Commitment to InnovationIn today's fast-paced environment, we mitigate the risk of underutilized or misunderstood data by partnering with our SD Digital Team data analytics team. By integrating decades of industry expertise with cutting-edge tools, we swiftly deliver actionable insights through data management, discovery, visualization, and advanced analytics, transforming decision-making, uncovering client value and identifying opportunities including:Aggregating and combing data from disassociated legacy systems to discover new insights and assist in quantifying supportable damage claimsDeveloping procedures backed by statistical methods that are credible and will support expert testimonyProviding well-documented and detailed analyses that are repeatable and can be followed at each step of the process, from the source document to the conclusionAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. View our additional Forensics and Litigation services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Fraud Risk Management Fraud Risk Management Proactively Identify, Assess, and Address Fraud Risks to Safeguard Your Organization’s Future Fraud can be catastrophic in both financial and reputational terms, and therefore, requires executive commitment to address related risks so that an organization is adequately protected. A strong fraud risk management program will help prepare for, protect and enable your organization to develop a response plan in the event fraud risk elevates to unacceptable levels. Schneider Downs can provide you with the necessary expertise to evaluate your company’s current fraud mitigation plan and infrastructure, support your efforts to perform a fraud risk assessment or assist with the development of a robust fraud mitigation plan. Fraud Risk Assessment  Schneider Downs can help your organization identify and manage the risks of fraud by performing a Fraud Risk Assessment. During the process we work closely with management and create a tailored fraud risk assessment to identify fraud risks and controls and implement corrective actions. Learn More Fraud Risk Diagnostics and Mitigation Services Schneider Downs can assist you in evaluating your organization’s fraud readiness with a Fraud Frisk Diagnostic Evaluation and designing a customizable fraud mitigation program that addresses and alleviates fraud concerns with an actionable analysis of current and future state of risk prevention. Learn More About Business Advisory Services The Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us  for more information.  View our additional Fraud services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Forensic & Investigative Accounting Forensic and Investigative Accounting Uncover Financial Misconduct, Resolve Disputes, and Strengthen Controls Through Expert Forensic Analysis Forensic accounting is a specialty practice area that applies accounting concepts along with data analysis and auditing techniques, in the investigation of financial transactions, processes and reporting.Forensic accounting engagements often involve actual or anticipated disputes and the investigation of accounting and financial issues. Investigations include suspicions or allegations of fraud, asset misappropriation, waste, mismanagement or misuse of funds, or white-collar crime. Our clients are companies, boards of directors, creditors, investors and other parties that are potentially impacted by the transactions or issues involved.Schneider Downs' forensic accounting professionals include Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) and those who are Certified in Financial Forensics (CFFs) - individuals who are experienced at analyzing, interpreting and presenting complex financial issues in a clear and usable format. Forums have included courts, arbitration panels, investigative agencies, law enforcement, and regulatory bodies.Examples of the forensic accounting investigations in which we have participated include:Fraud and asset misappropriation schemes involving bookkeepers, controllers, managers and executivesUse of construction loan proceeds by developersAllegations of fraud, waste and fair dealings in the operation of a businessAnalysis of Ponzi schemesPublic corruption and misuse of fundsMisuse of funds by a fiduciaryReconstruction of sources and uses of restricted funds and grantsExamination of related-party transactions as a part of bankruptcyInternal investigations or disputesAnalysis of investor fund usageInvestigations of the financial condition of businesses on behalf of lenders and investorsBy understanding our clients' objectives and circumstances, our specialists are able to quantify the impact and potential losses incurred, and design and implement internal accounting and management controls for loss prevention and risk management.Forensic and Investigative Accounting ResourcesForensic Accounting Service Overview Foresnic Accounting Case StudiesTypes of Fraud Investigated and Examples of Forensic Accounting Matters ConductedForensic Accounting Services Investigation Process About Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. View our additional Forensics and Litigation services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Financial and Cash Flow Modeling Financial and Cash Flow Modeling PRIMARY CONTACTS: Adam J. Goode CPAHow will the decisions you make today impact your business in the future? An essential component to managing and leading a profitable business is the ability to accurately forecast and project cash flow.Whether computing simple projections or building robust financial modeling tools, the Schneider Downs Business Advisory team has performed and developed numerous types of financial analyses and models for use in a wide range of applications and industries. These tools help our clients make informed decisions regarding capital expenditures, buying or selling a business or simply to better prepare for the future. Our team has the ability to customize and execute each project based on the clients specific needs and requirements. Examples include:Cash Flow ModelingFinancial Model ReviewProfitabilityBudget AnalysisCost-benefit AnalysisBilling AnalysisAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Providing Assistance to Help Fiduciaries Meet Their Legal Requirements Our experienced team of advisors provides a comprehensive scope of accounting services for conservatorships, guardianships, estates and trusts. We have experience with a variety of Trusteeships including Super Funds and receiverships.While each specific assignment is unique by design and purpose, our approach is consistent - identify the specific requirements for each client and provide thorough and efficient assistance to ensure the fiduciary requirements are being met in regard to appropriate accounting procedures. Whether this requires basic accounting paperwork, comprehensive financial analysis or assistance with litigation or court proceedings, the professionals at Schneider Downs Business Advisors will work closely with you and your attorney to ensure that your estate, foundation or trust is being properly managed.In some cases, those requirements may include:Detailed documentation of every transactionSpecialized reporting requirementsAsset reconciliationsIncome/Cash verificationPreparation of required tax filingsDistributions made in accordance with applicable fiduciary documentsProper execution of transactionsAs a fiduciary, we respect the fundamental obligations of fiduciary duty:The duty of management;The duty of loyalty or preference;The duty to account; andThe duty to discloseAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. View our additional Forensics and Litigation services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Compensation Studies Compensation Studies PRIMARY CONTACTS: Adam J. Goode CPAThe Business Advisory team at Schneider Downs partners with management, boards and compensation committees to provide market compensation data to aid in an organization's compensation setting process. A well-developed compensation plan attracts talent, improves retention and encourages employee engagement.We have served both for-profit and not-for-profit clients in a variety of industries and can perform a compensation analysis for a particular position or for an organization's entire workforce.A compensation study involves benchmarking an entity's selected job positions to what similar entities are paying for similar positions. Factors such as geographic area, industry and company size are considered.We can also provide an analysis of the mix of executive pay, which entails a breakdown between base compensation, short-term incentive compensation, long-term incentive compensation and other compensation.Not-for-Profit OrganizationsNot-for-profit organizations are subject to additional regulations that for-profit organizations are not. If the compensation of certain individuals is deemed unreasonable by the IRS, intermediate sanctions might be imposed on the recipient, as well as those persons who approved it.However, the IRS also provides a safe harbor to not-for-profit organizations: the rebuttable presumption of reasonableness. We can provide compensation data specific to the requirements of the rebuttable presumption.We can also provide training at your compensation committee meetings in order to ensure that all board members have the knowledge to create a rebuttable presumption that a transaction is not an excess benefit transaction.Ancillary ServicesSchneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors provides other executive compensation and non-qualified deferred compensation planning services to our clients.About Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Debt Placement Debt Placement We navigate the capital markets world for our clients.Companies turn to Schneider Downs Business Restructuring for effective solutions to complex financial problems. We offer over 25 years of success in helping our clients fund their business needs. Our knowledge of the financial markets and our long-term relationships with a variety of funding sources help our clients meet their objectives with a very competitive cost structure.We maintain active resources for financing:Working CapitalAcquisition FinancingTerm Debt and Equipment FinancingCash Flow FinancingMezzanine and other forms of Quasi-Equity FinancingOur approach for raising capital is designed to successfully steer our clients through the complex financing process, toward the most advantageous outcome. It includes:Establishing realistic objectivesIdentifying financial alternativesPreparing a financing memorandumMarketing to appropriate sources of capitalCreating a competitive environment among the various capital sourcesNegotiating the transaction to achieve the most beneficial termsClosing the dealAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Insolvency Services Insolvency Services We enhance value in insolvency situations by bringing management expertise, broad experience, and superior communication.The Schneider Downs Business Restructuring team provides expert advice and guidance to our clients before, during and post-bankruptcy. Our professionals have served in the capacity of court-appointed Trustee, Liquidation Trustee, Examiner, and Chief Responsible Party in bankruptcy proceedings. Our team also has extensive experience as a court-appointed receiver on both the Federal and state level. We possess an intimate knowledge of the legal processes involved in these proceedings and understand the complexity of dealing with a multitude of stakeholders.Insolvency Experience and StepsUnderstanding the financial and legal alternatives when insolventAssistance in securing DIP financingExpertly communicating with stakeholders, such as lenders, trade creditors, and employeesEfficiently managing cash flowRecognizing and dealing with preference and avoidancePreparing and implementing reorganization plansOverseeing proof of claim processMaximizing recovery through effective organizational restructuring and/or liquidation of assetsAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Turnaround/Restructuring Business Restructuring and Turnaround Services We specialize in mapping the course for financially distressed companies and guiding their way to profitability.Financial troubles are often invisible until the company has a serious cash-flow deficit and/or has violated loan covenants. Schneider Downs Business Restructuring and Turnaround Services applies its depth of management and financial experience in workout situations and determine what actions need to be taken. This assistance can be critical in keeping the troubled company's focus on serving its customers, while resolving its internal problems.A turnaround situation demands immediate attention to problems arising from the client's customers, lenders, trade creditors, employees or competitors. The utmost confidentiality must be maintained to protect the market image of the company throughout this time. From experience, our team understands the effort required to help a company through the crisis. Our depth of management enables us to address many problem areas simultaneously.Stages in Corporate Restructuring and Turnaround ServicesAnalyzing and altering operations to be more cost-efficientDeveloping a restructuring plan that meets the long-term goals of owners and management, while also satisfying the short-term needs of creditor groups. This stage requires an in-depth analysis of asset utilization, current cash flow demands, and future cash flow needs for funding day-to-day operations, as well as capital expendituresNegotiating with various creditor groups to gain support for the continued operation of the companyReconfiguring the debt of the company to minimize cash required for servicing the debt, and redirecting cash flow to company operations during the reorganization phaseIf necessary, replacing existing creditors with debt from financial institutions that specialize in financing for distressed companiesAssisting management in meeting goals defined in the plan and agreed to by all concerned parties. This stage often involves the sale of divisions, subsidiaries or other assets to improve the liquidity of the companyAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Performance Improvement Performance Improvement Maximizing a company's return on investment comes from driving the organization to achieve its goals through the analysis, development and execution of comprehensive operating and strategic plans.Schneider Downs Business Restructuring professionals have a wealth of senior-level corporate experience in both large corporations and middle-market companies. They can help your organization sort through and prioritize its goals, whether they focus on operational improvement, maximization of cash flow, or growth, either internal or through acquisitions. They bring extensive knowledge of strategic planning tools and the required processes to ensure successful execution of a strategic plan.How We HelpOperational managementStrategic planningProcess optimizationCash flow enhancement including inventory and accounts receivable managementSupplier selection and cost containment strategiesFinancial managementOur ApproachAn initial assessment of the company's current situationA determination of the company's owner's or senior management's operational and financial goalsDefinition of the gaps between the current situation and the target goalsDevelopment of a roadmap including, schedule and resources, for the company to achieve the targetThe realignment of individual, departmental, and functional focus to match corporate goalsEstablish a system of metrics and milestones that measure progress toward the goals.Interested in a More High-Level Assessment of Your Accounting Function?Our Accounting Optimization Assessment services help your organization evaluate and discover actionable steps to strengthen your accounting function, increasing operational efficiency and maximizing benefits in alignment with organizational priorities and goals.About Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Business Restructuring Schneider Downs Business Restructuring Experienced and practical guidance through the complex issues facing today’s businesses Contact Us The Schneider Downs Business Restructuring team provides clients with award-winning consulting services in the areas of management consulting, corporate restructuring and debt financing. Additionally, our experience includes having acted in the capacity of Court-appointed Receiver, Examiner and Trustee.Our clients range from closely-held businesses to large publicly-traded corporations across the country, but typically are middle-market businesses with sales between $10 million and $500 million. They encompass a wide range of industries including manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and service.The foundation of Schneider Downs Business Restructuring's success is constant attention to detail, a focused approach to solving the problems of our clients, a commitment to results, and the ability to pull from our depth of knowledge. Over the years, our professionals have gained an enviable reputation for our thoroughness, financial expertise, negotiating skills, presentation expertise, and the ability to quickly assess and address the obstacles impeding our client's success.The Schneider Downs Business Restructuring team focuses on four key services to maximize value for its clients' stakeholders. BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING SERVICE OFFERINGS BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING AND TURNAROUND SERVICES Financial troubles are often invisible until the company has a serious cash-flow deficit and/or has violated loan covenants DEBT PLACEMENT Companies turn to Schneider Downs Business Restructuring for effective solutions to complex financial problems INSOLVENCY SERVICES Schneider Downs Business Restructuring provides expert advice and guidance to our clients before, during and post-bankruptcy PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT Schneider Downs Business Restructuring professionals have a wealth of senior-level corporate experience in both large corporations and middle-market companies CONTACT US We want to hear from you Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Business Interruption and Damanges Services Business Interruption and Damages Quantify Losses, Support Claims, and Navigate Recovery with Confidence Business interruption claims typically involve a loss of income, and/or extra expenses incurred by a business. Business interruption claims relate to a period of time when a business cannot operate due to a disruption of the normal operations of a business. Businesses can obtain business interruption insurance to cover the financial impacts from these events. Business interruption claims can result from storms, fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and maybe even COVID-19. The Schneider Downs Business Advisory group handles all business interruption and insurance claim matters and can work with policyholders, counsel, accountants and insurance brokers and adjustors in many different ways, including: Assisting in determination of period of loss or restoration Assisting in preparing or evaluating financial projections Preparing detailed business interruption claims and lost profit calculations Calculating extra expenses, including construction, overtime, costs related to temporary locations Identifying costs related to COVID-19 (e.g. cleaning, protective equipment, etc.) Preparing package of all relevant documents and analyses supporting claims Evaluating insured’s claim or expert report Assisting in presenting a claim to insurance carriers Evaluating alternative analyses of losses prepared by insurance carriers If claims proceed to litigation, we can also assist with discovery, depositions and settlement proceedings, presentation of financial data and provide expert testimony. For more information on our services, download our Business Interruption Service Overview. About Business Advisory Services The Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment. Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. View our additional Forensics and Litigation services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Meet Our Team Meet Our TeamSchneider Downs' seasoned team of dedicated business advisors are experienced across a wide scope of specialties, allowing us to help our clients make more informed business decisions across every facet of their operations. SHAREHOLDERS Adam Goode CPA Learn More > Nick Lombardo CPA Learn More > Brian Matthews CPA, CITP Learn More > Michael Marasco Learn More > BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES Brian Webster CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE, CMA, CVA James Rumph CPA, CFE, CAMS, CIA Michael Fox Steve Thimons CVA, CFE Phil Farabaugh CPA John Jennings CPA Brad Miller CPA ### Technical Accounting Advisory Services Accounting Project Management From Complex Transactions to Global Audits—Your Partner for Accounting Excellence. The Schneider Downs Technical Accounting Advisory Services team provides customized consulting and advisory solutions to meet accounting-specific compliance and regulatory needs.With backgrounds in audit, valuation, tax and other disciplines, our diverse team of professionals routinely assists publicly traded and privately held companies with their most complex accounting issues.Our team of subject matter experts works with clients ranging from small businesses to multi-national Fortune 500 clients. We can address a broad spectrum of technical accounting needs, including accounting standard implementation, complex transactional accounting matters, GAAP/IFRS conversions, SEC reporting, debt and equity financing, as well as regulatory and compliance requirements. We also offer on-call resources for technical accounting and financial reporting support.Accounting for Complex TransactionsMany complex transactions require professional consultation. Our experts can assist you with any complicated transactions you encounter. We have subject matter expertise in  the following areas:Business Combinations (ASC 805)Complex Debt or Equity ArrangementsConsolidations/VIE AccountingDerivative and Hedging TransactionsFair Value MeasurementImpairmentsLease Accounting (ASC 842)Other Complex Transactions and AccountingRevenue Recognition (ASC 605 and ASC 606)Technical Accounting and Financial ReportingThe corporate and regulatory environment is constantly evolving, which can cause significant challenges for organizations of all sizes and industries. While our clients often maintain adequate resource levels to address standard, recurring accounting needs, they often do not have the expertise or capacity to efficiently manage more complex accounting manners . This is where the Schneider Downs Technical Accounting Advisory Services team can provide immediate value.Our team of technical accounting professionals is dedicated to staying current with the latest accounting changes and pronouncements. Using an interactive and high-touch consultative approach, our team provides the on-call technical and financial reporting capabilities your organization needs to stay within GAAP, IFRS and SEC requirements.  Key services include, but are not limited to:Accounting Policies and ProceduresBankruptcy and LiquidationConsolidationDebt and Equity TransactionsDerivatives and HedgingFinancial Reporting for Public and Private CompaniesFinancial Statement Conversion (GAAP/IFRS, Cash Basis to GAAP, etc.)Foreign CurrencyImpairmentInventory CostingPosition PapersResearchRestatementsShare-Based CompensationSoftware CapitalizationVariable Interest Entities (VIE)Implementation of New Accounting StandardsThe Schneider Downs Technical Accounting Advisory Services team routinely monitors new accounting standard developments and pronouncements. Our team knows first-hand the challenges of implementing these standards and the stress  this adds on an organization’s resources, specifically time and people. By the time new accounting standards are issued, our team is fully prepared to help our clients understand and implement the required regulatory measures. Key services include:Adoption of New StandardsCustomized Project Plans for Client AssessmentPosition Papers or Accounting Policy RevisionsEducation on New Regulatory StandardsReporting and Disclosure Preparation and/or AssistanceOur team can help you draft a complete set of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, IFRS or other statutory requirements. We can assist on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.For more information on our Technical Accounting Advisory Services, please contact us at contactsd@schneidedowns.com.Technical Accounting ResourcesSchneider Downs Accounting Advisory Services OverviewSchnieder Downs Technical Accounting OverviewSchneider Downs IFRS Resource CenterSchneider Downs IFRS UpdatesRelated ServicesAccounting Advisory ServicesAccounting Project ManagementManaged Lease AccountingAbout Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory ServicesThrough our Accounting Advisory Services, Schneider Downs offers various technical accounting advisory services in addition to outsourced accounting and financial advisory services for every type of organization, from small businesses with limited resources to large publicly and privately held entities that require a unique perspective.Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/accounting-advisory-services. View our additional Business Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Managed Lease Accounting Services Managed Lease Accounting Services Closing Resource Gaps with Proven Accounting Expertise and Strategic Leadership. The Schneider Downs Managed Lease Accounting team can help organizations meet the ASC 842 and IFRS 16 lease accounting standards reporting requirements.Lease accounting standards and reporting requirements can have a significant impact on not only your financial statements but also your internal processes for managing and reporting leases on a monthly basis.The Schneider Downs Managed Lease Accounting service provides an end-to-end lease accounting solution that blends people, process and technology to reduce the time and complexity of meeting lease accounting standards and deadlines. Our comprehensive lease accounting reporting package can include:Accounting assessment and treatment by lease expertsAmortization schedulesAudit trailsCustom ReportingLease listingMonthly/quarterly journal entriesReporting for all annual financial statement disclosure requirementsOur scalable, full-service approach works with organizations of all sizes and industries to ensure they meet lease accounting challenges from the initial adoption of the standards to the ongoing reporting requirements.Download the Schneider Downs Managed Lease Accounting Service Overview.Why Schneider Downs?The Schneider Downs Managed Lease Accounting team has the expertise to understand lease accounting standards and the software built for compliance.Accounting expertise – Rely on accounting professionals to understand the complex reporting and compliance requirements of ASC 842 and IFRS 16.Budgeting – Have a fixed cost for lease accounting reporting for budgeting and planningIncreased efficiency – Allocate your internal resources to other needs beyond lease accounting reportingTechnology – Know that we use our proprietary simpLEASE lease accounting software to provide accurate analysis for all lease computationsReduce Risk – Shift the responsibility of interpreting complex lease accounting requirements and meeting deadlines off of your teamStaffing – Avoid human capital related issues such as staff shortages or lack of expertiseOur experienced accounting advisory professionals work hand in hand with your organization to understand your unique challenges and partner with our technology advisors to find the best solution to ensure your lease accounting standard compliance and reporting requirements are met within scope and by deadline.For more information please contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.What is ASC 842?ASC 842 is a lease accounting standard published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board that requires the tracking and disclosure of all lease assets. ASC 842 replaced the previous ASC 840 standard with both public and private companies required to adopt the standard.What is IFRS 16?IFRS 16 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019, with earlier application permitted (as long as IFRS 15 is also applied). The objective of IFRS 16 is to report information that (a) faithfully represents lease transactions and (b) provides a basis for users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. To meet that objective, a lessee should recognize assets and liabilities arising from a lease. Source: IFRS.orgWhat is simpLEASE?Built by accountants for accountants, simpLEASE makes the FASB’s Accounting Standards Certification (ASC 842) simple. Designed to solve leasing accounting challenges for organizations of all sizes, simpLEASE is a scalable web-based solution that streamlines the lease accounting process, and provides fast and accurate results regardless of whether you have two or two thousand leases. Learn more about simpLEASE.Related ServicesAccounting Advisory ServicesAccounting Project ManagementTechnical Accounting AdvisoryAbout Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory ServicesThrough our Accounting Advisory Services, Schneider Downs offers various technical accounting advisory services in addition to outsourced accounting and financial advisory services for every type of organization, from small businesses with limited resources to large publicly and privately held entities that require a unique perspective.Learn more about our Accounting Advisory Services. View our additional Business Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Accounting Project Management Accounting Project Management Expert Accounting Leadership to Bridge Gaps, Drive Results, and Deliver Solutions. The Schneider Downs Accounting Project Management team provides the accounting experience, technical expertise and leadership acumen to supplement accounting and finance teams.Companies often find themselves in positions where they may not have the intellectual capital or critical resources necessary to undertake, let alone achieve, their required accounting objectives or outcomes. Whether the gap is due to fast growth, labor shortages or poor economic conditions, our team of accounting professionals can help.With a focus on delivering innovative solutions customized to our clients’ needs, our Accounting Project Management team leverages our business expertise, project management skills, outcome-oriented and pragmatic approach to provide value-added accounting solutions.Accounting for Complex Business Transactions SolutionsWe have the experience and technology to support clients in integrating and accounting for complex business transactions that require considerable effort, specialized skills and industry knowledge, such as:Accounting and ReportingAccounting and Reporting Assistance to Public CompaniesAccounting for Complex Equity StructuresBusiness Combination AccountingCarve-outsDivestituresNew Equity Transactions such as Capital Raises and Equity-based Compensation PlansPro-forma Financial Statement Preparation Audit Coordination and Readiness SolutionsAudits can be daunting, especially as organizations grow in size and location. Whether geographic growth is domestic or international, your organization may benefit from our audit coordination and readiness services.We have the expertise and technical skills to help meet global compliance requirements, including the need for statutory audits, application consistency and corporate accounting policy adherence, as well as the overall ability to meet the statutory deadlines required by each domicile.We handle the following:Determining Audit Requirements throughout a Company’s Global FootprintCreating an Inventory of Audit Compliance Needs in Each JurisdictionRe-evaluating Compliance Requirements based on Previous Events and TransactionsAssisting in Selecting a Provider in Each JurisdictionReviewing Financial Statements for Accounting Matters Inconsistent with Accounting Policies and Conventions Adopted for U.S. GAAPInternational Audit Assistance and Management across Different CountriesManaging Group Audit Projects toward Audit Completion and Coordination of Audit RequestsEstablishing Local Country Resources for Country Regulatory and Statutory Expertise Additionally, our team offers solutions that can guide your organization through the various stages of an audit, including:Accounting Process Narrative ReviewBalance Sheet Account ReconciliationsClient Interview and Preparation for Audits and ReviewsDesign & Implementation Review of ControlsFinancial Statement Footnote Disclosure PreparationShort-Term Staff AugmentationWhether due to unforeseen circumstances such as retirement or resignation, resource challenges, deadlines or rapid growth, organizations often find themselves in a position that requires staff augmentation. Our team of accounting professionals offers scalable, short-term staffing options at all levels, from the C-suite and more:Interim Executive Management Support/ControllersManager and Senior Accounting SupportTransition Support for Executive Management/CFOsSpecialized Accounting SolutionsWe understand that every organization is unique, facing different challenges, concerns, resources and pain points. Whether you require expertise to fill skill gaps, need assistance to meet deadlines or simply need specialized and technical knowledge to solve a business challenge, our team can help. Accounting Solutions we offer:Back Office Assessments/Shared Services OpportunitiesCustom Accounting ProjectsCash Flow Optimization through Programs to Accelerate Cash Receipts or Slow Vendor PaymentsEnvironmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ReportingFinancial Statement Preparation & ReportingLease Accounting Software Selection, Implementation & Support Transaction-Related Accounting Solutions Transaction-related accounting and financial reporting considerations are influenced bymany factors, including differing accounting standards, purchase price allocation, technical accounting matters, adjustments and the availability of professionals capable of providing direction. We can advise on:Accounting Records “Clean Up” Before you Go to Market to Ensure a Smooth Transaction ProcessCommon Transaction-Related Accounting Issues, including:Accounting for Goodwill and Other Intangible AssetsTransaction CostsStock Options and Other Incentive-Based AwardsOther Unique Accounting NeedsOpening Balance Sheet Accounting Under FASB ASC 805, Business Combinations, Ensuring Opening Balance Sheets are U.S. GAAP CompliantPreparation of Final Closeout Financial Statements for the Selling Company to Meet Any Internal or External RequirementsStandardization of New Accounting Policies and Practices Within Your Company Following a Merger or AcquisitionTransaction-Related Accounting ConsultationFor more information on our Accounting Project Management services, please contact us at contactsd@schneidedowns.com.Related ResourcesSchneider Downs Accounting Advisory Services OverviewSchneider Downs Accounting Project Management OverviewRelated ServicesAccounting Advisory ServicesTechnical Accounting AdvisoryManaged Lease AccountingReady to Get Started?Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.About Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory ServicesThrough our Accounting Advisory Services, Schneider Downs offers various technical accounting advisory services in addition to outsourced accounting and financial advisory services for every type of organization, from small businesses with limited resources to large publicly and privately held entities that require a unique perspective.Learn more about our dedicated Accounting Advisory Services landing page. View our additional Business Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Digital Transformation ### Data Analytics (ADAPT) ### Business Process Optimization Business Process Optimization PRIMARY CONTACTS:  James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISAThe people, processes and technology within organizations and practices are constantly being challenged to increase efficiency and maximize limited resources.The Schneider Downs Business Process Optimization (BPO) services are designed to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s core business processes to ensure best practice opportunities are realized, risks are mitigated and a strong foundation exists for controls. Our team of process improvement specialists are adept in understanding and assessing complex workflows, internal risks and controls, systems functionality and automation opportunities.Our team of risk advisory professionals assist our clients in optimizing and transforming their core operational, finance and information technology processes. Combining deep industry expertise with repositories of process insights, we act as a strategic advisor to implement changes to the organization structure to achieve cost reductions and efficiencies, while also providing recommendations to better managing risk and strengthen control activities.Some of the most common triggering events that lead to companies investing in a strategic evaluation of their business processes include:Key changes in management;Control environment failures or changes;Staffing or cost reduction initiatives;Recent fraud or misstatement;Significant control deficiency, material weakness or concerning management letter comments;Untimely or inaccurate operational or financial information to make informed business decisions;Implementation of a new system or systems; andAcquisitions or divestituresWhat does our BPO process look like?Results include an organizational assessment and dashboard of current state against better practice opportunities, as well as a summary of work performed, global risk overviews, and recommendations to achieve increased efficiency, process improvement and internal control environment enhancements.Ready to get started?Contact us to learn more about Schneider Downs Business Process Optimization services.Interested in a More High-Level Assessment of Your Accounting Function?Our Accounting Optimization Assessment services help your organization evaluate and discover actionable steps to strengthen your accounting function, increasing operational efficiency and maximizing benefits in alignment with organizational priorities and goals.About Schneider Downs Risk AdvisoryOur team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Services or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON 2025 Tax Legislation – A Long and Winding Road to “One Big Beautiful Bill”?” Now that President Trump is in the White House, and a new and differently configured Congress is back in session,… Read More > Senator Wyden's Memo: Potential Revenue-Generating Changes and Their Implications Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) memo from House Budget Committee Republicans outlines options that the committee is considering in order to… Read More > What to Do with Excess Money in a 529 Plan Section 529 plans were created in 1996 to help American families manage the cost of education. 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These issues can significantly impact the… Read More > Corporate Transparency Act Beneficial Ownership Reporting Update: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same On January 2, we wrote about the on-again, off-again decisions being made regarding the filing of beneficial ownership information (BOI)… Read More > Navigating Check Fraud: Who Bears the Liability? This article provides a general overview of liability considerations for various types of check fraud, but it is not intended… Read More > 4 Changes to Pennsylvania's Tax Appeal Process Act 123 of 2024, which will become effective January 27, includes several significant changes designed to make the appeals process… Read More > Investment Corner with Jason & Sean: Were the Magnificent 7 Really So Magnificent in 2024? Despite the down December, the S&P 500 ended 2024 with a 25% return for the year, delivering investors strong back-to-back… Read More > Ohio HB 315 Impacts Sourcing of Ohio CAT Receipts for Auto Dealers On January 2, 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill 315 (HB 315), providing Ohio Commercial Activity… Read More > Top 3 Emerging Privacy Trends for 2025 As we progress through 2025, data privacy laws are surging in number and scale. Approximately 70% of nations have enacted… Read More > 5 Practical Tips for Data Privacy in 2025 It’s Data Privacy Week 2025, and in today’s digital age, maintaining data privacy is more critical than ever. As recognized… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Cybersecurity on Campuses What are key takeaways from The Chronicle of Higher Education’s virtual forum on Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on College Cybersecurity? The… Read More > Stolen Money Wired Overseas? Here’s How You Might Still Recover It. $20 billion! According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), between October 2013 and December 2023, more than 158,000… Read More > ### Process Improvement Consulting Process Improvement Consulting Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIAOur Process Improvement Consulting services are designed to assess and maximize the efficiency of your organizations’s business processes and technology management.Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks.  Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES BUSINESS PROCESS OPTIMIZATION DATA ANALYTICS AND POWER BI ACCOUNTING OPTIMIZATION ASSESSMENTS Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings.Ready to Get Started?Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.  Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### IT Risk Advisory ### Data Privacy and Security ### Cybersecurity ### Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning and Table Top Exercises Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider Downs Risk Advisory professionals understand that business continuity provides a framework for building organizational resilience and the capability for an effective response through managing processes to identify the following potential risks, threats, and vulnerabilities that could affect continued operations: Advances in technology Cyber threat considerations Utilizing insurance as a risk transfer tool Strategies for manufacturing Supply chain processing Risk management concepts Legal and regulatory concerns We are committed to the continued understanding of risks that have the potential to impact business operations. Specifically, what sets us apart is our commitment to continuing professional education and the fact that the management of our Risk Advisory Practice has obtained the Certified Business Continuity Lead Auditor (CBCLA) certification, which is one of only 64 certified professionals globally. Our Business Continuity Program Approach Created and maintained by Disaster Recovery Institute International, The Professional Practices for Business Continuity Management is a body of knowledge designed to assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of business continuity programs. These professional practices, along with the NFPA 1600 Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity/Continuity of Operations Programs and our industry experience will serve as a baseline to assess the existing Plan in helping to identify gaps and deficiencies while providing recommendations as necessary. Our approach and core areas of focus for the assessment will include but not be limited to the following: Assess Management's Buy-In and Ongoing Support of the Plan Assess the Risk Assessment Approach and Frequency Assess the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) Assess the Business Continuity Strategies based on the Risk Assessment and BIA Assess the Incident Response Plan and its Effectiveness Assess the Plan and the Implementation Procedures Assess the Awareness and Training Programs Assess Ongoing Testing and Maintenance of the Plan Assess Crisis Communication Procedures Assess Coordination Efforts and Procedures with External Agencies We will perform our assessment with the assistance of management to ensure resources and information remain readily available. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Information Technology Advisory Information Technology Advisory Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP Our Information Technology Advisory services help ensure your organization is risk-focused, promotes sound IT controls and ensure timely resolution of audit deficiencies. Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks.  Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY SERVICES Created with Sketch. CYBERSECURITY Created with Sketch. DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY Created with Sketch. DISASTER RECOVERY/BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING AND TABLE TOP EXERCISES Created with Sketch. IT GENERAL CONTROLS AUDIT Created with Sketch. IT COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORK CONSULTING (I.E. GDPR, HIPAA, PCI, NIST, ISO, ETC.) Created with Sketch. IT RISK ADVISORY Created with Sketch. SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION ASSURANCE   Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at www.schneiderdowns.com/risk-advisory-services or download our Risk Advisory Services brocure for more information. Ready to Get Started? Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Training, Education, and Awareness TPRM Training Education and Awareness Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Don’t know where to start when it comes to evaluating your vendors?Have the Schneider Downs Third-Party Risk Management team present to you and your executive team what exactly TPRM should mean to your organization, the significance a mature program can provide in protecting your organization’s data, and how to employ best practices. Additionally, we perform specific training topics by request if there are certain areas that your team or management needs.  Topics we have presented in the past include:How to Mitigate Your TPRM ExposureBest and Trending Practices in Performing Onsite and Virtual AssessmentsManaging Cloud Vendor RisksSecrets Revealed: How SOC Auditors Review a SOC ReportBefore you decide to start your own TPRM program or outsource processes, let us guide you as to how to get started and what might work best for your business like we have for various leadership groups and clients.Additional TPRM ServicesTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity ServicesTPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Officer as a Service Schneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.Learn more about our Third-Party Risk Management services or contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### TPRM Officer-as-a-Service TPRM Officer as a Service Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Every successful Third-Party Risk Management program needs strategic governance in place to uphold and improve the program’s initiatives.Many organizations don’t have the resources or bandwidth to hire a full-time TPRM department or even to appoint a TPRM committee. Many organizations don’t even know who should be responsible for TPRM matters.As experts in the field of TPRM, we understand the various roles and needs associated with TPRM programs. We develop custom packages that demonstrate your control environment and assurance to your customer base.We offer a wide range of TPRM services:Building a customer-facing compliance packageProducing copy relating to compliance for your websiteAnswering customer inquiries related to third party requirements:Mapping any of your existing standards-based assessments to third party requirementsMapping your policy set to third-party requirementsManagement and facilitation of virtual and/or onsite third-party assessmentsDiscussion, evaluation, and counsel through third-party requirement remediation efforts (related to identified third-party audit findings)Assistance with the implementation of solutions related to identified third-party audit findingsAdditional TPRM ServicesTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity ServicesTPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Training, Education, and Awareness Schneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.Learn more about our Third-Party Risk Management services or contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Program Support Services TPRM Program Support Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider Downs has extensive experience building and optimizing the third party risk programs for a variety of clients.We have managed entire Third-Party Risk Management programs across all different maturity levels and various points of the TPRM lifecycle. We have experience working with procurement, compliance, technical, and financial teams along with business functional areas that own third-party relationships. Thus, our team can adapt to your program’s needs.This ongoing support complements our core assessment services, and when combined, our support encourages a new level of TPRM assurance. The following are examples of ways we provide ongoing program support in addition to our traditional external assessment services:Assessment project management, scheduling, and coordinationTracking assessment metrics and reporting to management/TPRM stakeholdersAssessment evidence retrievalDevelopment and maintenance of process documentationTPRM policy and procedures optimizationSolutions engineering and software selectionContinuation of TPRM program maturityAssist in introducing TPRM to additional business unitsInternal risk assessmentsPenetration testing service implementationAdditional TPRM ServicesTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity ServicesTPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Officer-as-a-ServiceTPRM Training, Education, and Awareness Schneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.Learn more about our Third-Party Risk Management services or contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Program Implementation and Development TPRM Program Implementation and Development Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Based on your capabilities assessment results, Schneider Downs also can develop a comprehensive implementation project plan with targeted goals and benchmarking.This helps to operationalize a Third-Party Risk Management program to achieve the targeted levels of maturity and build the capabilities an organization envisions. Organizations may know where they want their TPRM program to be in the years to come, but without a fine-tuned road map to guide the process, it can become an insurmountable task.TPRM Program implementation can include the following:Define/document governance/reporting process and roles/responsibilitiesEnhance/develop policies, standards, proceduresDefine/document TPRM lifecycle processDefine/document risk rating scoring and IRQDefine/document skillset requirementsDefine/document internal/external communication/sharing protocolDevelop enterprise-specific TPRM toolkit and define/document measurement/analysis processDefine/document monitoring/review programIf your business doesn’t have a TPRM program yet, Schneider Downs can work with you to develop a program that is right for your organization. We can help you build a strong foundation and guide you through each component of our model.Additional TPRM ServicesTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity ServicesTPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Officer-as-a-ServiceTPRM Training, Education, and AwarenessSchneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.For more information visit www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm or contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### External Assessor TPRM External Assessor Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. As the Third-Party Risk Management industry grows, the need for qualified assessor resources compounds.Many TPRM practices preach industry best practices without having the boots on the ground to consistently execute these practices and adequately evaluate third parties. However, at Schneider Downs, our strength is in our people. Our assessors maintain a trifecta of technical expertise, business knowledge, and a keen sense of risk to perform assessments successfully. Our trained assessors are readily available to inject themselves into any organization’s TPRM program and assist in performing all levels of assessments and executing your TPRM program.Schneider Downs’ External Assessor model is not a one-size-fits-all approach.We can provide External Assessor services in a multitude of ways to seamlessly fit into an organization’s TPRM program including:Virtual assessmentsOn-site assessmentsPhysical and environmental reviewsSpecialty assessments (e.g.: web application technical review, penetration testing, etc.)Specific subject matter expertise: IT, Cybersecurity, Financial, Operational, Compliance, Business Resiliency, etc.Pre-contract third-party evaluations (before acquisition or onboarding a third party)Here’s a suggested path for a TPRM assessment lifecycle :Additional TPRM ServicesTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Officer-as-a-ServiceTPRM Training, Education, and AwarenessSchneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.Get more information on our Third-Party Risk Management services or contact us to get started today. ### Capabilities and Maturity Assessment TPRM Capabilities and Maturity Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. A capability is anything an organization does well that drives meaningful business results. Capabilities drive up resilience and drive down risk.Third-Party Risk ManagementWe perform capabilities and maturity assessments to understand how an organization’s Third-Party Risk Management program stacks up next to comparable organizations against leading practices as well as help to identify bottlenecks and target areas of improvement. The assessment process evaluates an organization’s level of maturity for critical components of a TPRM program and quantitatively scores that level of maturity. Ultimately, this assessment helps organizations develop and/or mature a centralized governance model and provides the tools to maintain it and continuously improve it. The following are examples of areas to benchmark and assess maturity:Program governancePolicies, standards and proceduresContract managementVendor risk identification and analysisSkills and expertiseCommunication and information sharingTools, measurement and analysisMonitoring and reviewingAdditional TPRM ServicesTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Officer-as-a-ServiceTPRM Training, Education, and AwarenessSchneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.For more information visit www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm or contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Ad-Hoc Review TPRM Ad Hoc Review Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Our Third-Party Risk Management external assessment services model is flexible so that we can serve a variety of client needs.If your organization already has a third-party assessment process, our team can perform ad-hoc reviews of standards-based frameworks. After all, audit and assurance are part of the core skills that our IT audit team was built on.Schneider Downs standards-based assessments include:SOC (System and Organization Control) Report ReviewsOne of the best indicators that you can trust a third party with your data is if they have a SOC report completed on an annual basis by a reputable audit firm. However, reviewing SOC reports is a vital part of TPRM processes. This is where our knowledge as a premier provider of SOC reports complements our ability to review third-party SOC reports and behalf of organizations.We’re not here to make it more complicated. Download the AICPA SOC Report Review Template.Standard Information Gathering (SIG Questionnaire)Schneider Downs is a registered firm with the Shared Assessment program through the Santa Fe Group, the leader in TPRM best practices, education, and guidance.  We leverage tools such as the SIG and SIG Lite to provide assessment services.ComplianceHIPAA, HITRUST, NIST, ISO, PCI, FFIEC, CIS CSC, and many more.Additional TPRM ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity ServicesTPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Officer-as-a-ServiceTPRM Training, Education, and AwarenessSchneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:AICPA SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program. We understand that outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.  While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third party providers is vital for any business.For more information visit www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm or contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Third-Party Risk Management Third-Party Risk Management Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Outsourcing business functions to third parties is essential in today’s business environment.While outsourcing provides benefits such as increased efficiency and cost savings, it also increases an organization’s risk exposure to a myriad of threats presented by outsourcing.  Understanding how to identify and manage the risks presented by third-party providers is vital for any business.  The Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team has the expertise, credentials and tools to help you build, implement, recalibrate, and manage a world-class third-party risk management program.Learn more about Schneider Downs' third-party risk management service offerings, capabilities and experience in our service overview.What is Third-Party Risk Management?Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) is a process of identifying and managing the risks created when hiring a third party to provide goods and services.Its’ primary focus is usually on data protection/privacy and IT security controls, but its scope depends entirely on the nature of the services provided by the third party. Therefore, it may include operational concerns such as business resiliency, financial integrity, and regulatory compliance.The Need for Third-Party Risk ManagementThe practice of outsourcing services to specialized organizations continues to grow exponentially. Shortages of qualified individuals continue to drive this trend, and statistics show that this shortage will continue throughout most industries for years to come. Outsourcing has proven to reduce and control cost more effectively, improve company focus, and gain access to world-class specialized resources.Third party relationships are increasingly being viewed as strategic business partners. Third parties are expected to maintain the same level of control throughout the environments where they store or process sensitive or confidential data elements.Third party relationships are popular and consistent targets for cyber-attacks. The cost of cybercrime is expected to continue to rise each year by trillions of dollars, primarily driven by data breach fines and lost business. Third-parties that process highly confidential data elements have the potential to be the root cause of a data breach, yet both the third party and their customers can experience significant downstream effects.It is no secret that monitoring and regularly evaluating third parties is undoubtedly a good business practice and can help uncover and mitigate key risks. In addition to being a best business practice, regulators and lawmakers around the world are recognizing the impact that third parties have on their business partners operations and the responsibility they have as stewards of sensitive data. Because of this, there is increased regulatory pressure across a multitude of industries to ensure that third parties are appropriately evaluated for key risks.Consideration of these factors adds up to one consistent sentiment: A strong TPRM program is essential to ensure strong business operations. Learn more information about our Third-Party Risk Management services or contact us to get started.Schneider Downs TPRM ServicesThe Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Services team can help your organization with third-party risk management with our robust service offeringsTPRM Ad-Hoc Review ServicesTPRM Capabilities and Maturity Assessment TPRM External Assessor ServicesTPRM Program Implementation and DevelopmentTPRM Program Support ServicesTPRM Officer-as-a-ServiceTPRM Training, Education, and AwarenessSchneider Downs TPRM ResourcesBuilt by our tenured team of security, risk and compliance practitioners. We have leveraged decades of diverse subject-matter expertise and experience to be able to provide the following resources and tools:SOC Report Review TemplateSchneider Downs TPRM Service OverviewSchneider Downs TPRM Policy TemplateSchneider Downs Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management GuideSchneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesHow Can Schneider Downs Help?Schneider Downs is a registered assessment firm with the Shared Assessments Group, the clear leader in third-party risk management guidance. Our personnel are experienced in all facets of vendor risk management, and have the credentials necessary (CTPRP, CISA, CISSP, etc.) to achieve meaningful results to help your organization effectively achieve new vendor risk management heights. For more information or to get started contact us.About Schneider Downs Risk AdvisoryOur team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Explore our full Risk Advisory Service Offerings or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### ESG FAQs Environmental, Social and Governance Disclosure FAQs PRIMARY CONTACT: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA, Adam J. Goode, CPA In light of an increased focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures for public companies, the Schneider Downs Environmental, Social and Governance consulting team has compiled a list of commonly asked questions and answers to help organizations better prepare for the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed Greenhouse Gas reporting requirements. WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE? ESG stands for “Environmental,” “Social” and “Governance,” and represents a stakeholder-centric approach to reporting, outside of just the financial results. Demand for ESG reporting has been seeing increasing demand from consumers, employees, investors and now regulatory authorities. WHY IS ESG IMPORTANT? ESG provides additional insight into an organization's impact on the world broken into three categories: Environmental, Social and Governance. Elements of each can include: Environmental - climate change, carbon emissions, water and air pollution Social - working conditions, equal opportunities, human rights, community relations Governance - corporate structure, ethics, hiring practices, compensation structure Given how quickly ESG is gaining significance, organizations should start to build their ESG strategy as part of their core corporate strategy. WHEN DOES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD EXPIRE? The public has until May 20, 2022, to provide comment on the proposed Greenhouse Gas reporting requirements. The SEC has stated that they want to incorporate feedback into the required metrics and financial reporting. WHAT ARE THE KEY DEADLINES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED ESG DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS? The proposed SEC timeline envisions rules being finalized by December 2022 with Scope 1 and 2 emission metrics for 2023 to be included in 2024 filings for large, accelerated filers. Scope 3 emissions would then be phased in the following year. Accelerated filers and non-accelerated filers would have one additional year for each deadline. Smaller reporting companies would have two additional years. The requirements will also be mandatory by foreign private issuers. DOES THE ESG DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS APPLY TO PRIVATE COMPANIES? No. However, there is significant movement towards private companies voluntarily disclosing ESG from customers, employees and other organizations within their value chain. WILL ESG DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS APPLY TO INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES? The SEC’s regulation will extend to any company listed on a U.S. Exchange, including foreign issuers. In addition, the European Union (E.U.) has proposed its own revised set of required disclosures covering ESG reporting titled the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. The scope of organizations under this proposal extends well beyond those proposed by the SEC’s greenhouse gas requirements for public companies. This could have a significant impact to organizations with operations in E.U. member countries. WHAT IS CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING DIRECTIVE The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is the E.U.’s proposal to establish mandatory disclosure requirements to drive ESG initiatives as organizations must report targets and progress towards achieving their goals. This aligns with Europe’s goal of achieving climate-neutrality by 2050. WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD FOR REPORTING UNDER CSRD? This will have an impact on E.U. subsidiaries of U.S. companies. The current proposal would cover most companies publicly traded on E.U. exchanges as well as all large private E.U. companies. However, the “large” threshold is lower than might be expected; defined as meeting two of the following thresholds: Total assets over €20m for two consecutive years end Revenue (net turnover) over €40m for two consecutive fiscal years Average employees exceeding 250 for two consecutive fiscal year WHAT ARE THE FRAMEWORKS UNDER ESG? Currently, there are a number of competing frameworks including: Value Reporting Foundation Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Climate Disclosures Standards Board (CDSB) International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) However, the industry is seeing significant revisions to these frameworks and convergence is expected. Organizations looking to adopt ESG should start with the regulations under the SEC’s proposal or the E.U.’s CSRD proposal. ISSB is being developed by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation in conjunction with the E.U. and is receiving most of the current focus. ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE RESOURCES Schneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ESG Articles SEC Response to Clime and ESG Risks and Opportunities SEC Fact Sheet – Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures ABOUT SCHNEIDER DOWNS ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE CONSULTING With our industry expertise and extensive knowledge of the risk advisory landscape, the Schneider Downs team can help your organization prepare for the proposed disclosure requirements and additional ESG-related risks by developing an ESG strategy that aligns with your overall corporate strategy. Learn more about our ESG consulting services at www.schneiderdowns.com/esg or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. 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Phone? How did you find us? How did you find us? Google Yahoo Bing Referral Source Other Schneider Downs Professional Direct Mail Word of Mouth EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting ESG Consulting PRIMARY CONTACT: Tony Ielase CISA Is your organization prepared to meet ESG-related regulatory, reporting and financial demands? Environmental, social and governance (ESG) involves setting, managing and reporting on an organization’s governance mechanisms, environmental and social impacts and related policies. Given how quickly ESG is growing in the public and private space, organizations must prioritize building the appropriate ESG-focused infrastructure, capabilities and controls as part of their core corporate strategy. With our industry experience and extensive knowledge of the ESG risk advisory landscape, our team can develop the appropriate strategies, frameworks, governance, policies and reporting tools to meet the complex requirements of today and tomorrow. ESG Strategy and Program Development  Our ESG Strategy and Program Development solutions help organizations assess ESG readiness, develop the appropriate ESG framework and strategy, operationalize processes and controls, meet reporting requirements and establish program governance for long-term success. Key solutions include: ESG Framework GAP Assessment ESG GRC Technology Implementation ESG Implementation Support ESG Program Roadmap ESG Materiality Assessment ESG Stakeholder Alignment Our team takes a pragmatic approach to ESG strategy and program development that follows four primary phases. This allows us to develop the appropriate strategy, reporting and governance structure unique to our clients’ goals, stakeholders and industry. Additional ESG Solutions In addition to ESG Strategy and Program Development, our cross-functional team can help companies meet the regulatory, audit and tax challenges associated with ESG. ESG Assurance With our skilled bench of audit professionals, Schneider Downs is uniquely positioned to provide independent assurance services for organizations with ESG disclosures related to financials and other key metrics. Our team provides audit, review and compilation services for ESG reporting based on the level of assurance required. ESG Assurance Services ESG Limited Assurance Reporting ESG Readiness Assessment ESG Reasonable Assurance Reporting ESG California Climate Disclosure Laws Our ESG Consulting team can help organizations impacted by the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (CA SB 253) and Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk (CA SB 261) laws. Identify material climate-related financial risks. Create an accompanying report in line with TCFD recommendations. Develop a process to inventory and calculate GHGs. Provide limited assurance on GHGs calculations. ESG Governance, Risk and Compliance Our ESG and risk professionals work together to help clients understand and mitigate the complex risks associated with ESG, including operational, compliance and reputational concerns. Key services include: ESG Data Validation ESG Program Assessment ESG Regulatory Compliance Assessment ESG Risk and Control Assessment ESG Testing and Monitoring ESG Tax Advisory Our experienced tax professionals work with our ESG team to help clients understand the impact of ESG on tax strategy, preparation and planning. Key services focus on ESG tax requirements, incentives and reporting, including: ESG and Tax Strategy Alignment ESG Incentives and Credits ESG Program Development ESG Regulatory Compliance The SEC released a proposed timeline for phase-in periods and accommodations for the proposed disclosures outlined below. ESG Resources Schneider Downs ESG Consulting Overview Schneider Downs ESG Infographic - Putting the ESG Puzzle Together Schneider Downs ESG Article - What Are the Key Roles Internal Audit Plays in ESG? Schneider Downs ESG Article - Top Ten ESG Questions for Board and Audit Committees Schneider Downs ESG Whitepaper – ESG and the Transportation & Logistics Industry Schneider Downs ESG FAQ ESG California Climate Disclosure Laws Resources Schneider Downs Fact Sheet - CA SB 253: Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act Schneider Downs Fact Sheet - CA SB 261: Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act Related Links Schneider Downs ESG Assurance Services Schneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ ESG Articles Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about Schneider Downs ESG Consulting solutions. About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Service Page or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Investment Corner with Jason & Sean: U.S. Small Cap Equities “History never repeats itself, but it often rhymes.” – Mark Twain The internet is going to change the world. It… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Master Your Credit Card Strategy: A Guide to Maximizing Rewards and Boosting Your Credit Score Credit card debt has soared to new heights, totaling over $1.125 trillion at the close of 2023, the highest balance… Read More > Enhancing Focus on Risk Management and Consumer Protection Over the past year, regulatory agencies, financial services management teams and board members have had to increase their focus on… Read More > Controlling Wire Fraud in the Financial Industry Wire fraud is one of the most common cyberattacks afflicting companies of all shape and sizes, particularly financial institutions. When… Read More > The Top Risks Internal Audit Leaders Need to Know for 2024 What are the top risks internal audit leaders need to know about in 2024? In their Focus on the Future report,… Read More > SOC 2 Terminology: Vendor vs Subservice Organization vs Subcontractor vs Third Party vs Nth Party What's the difference between vendors, subservice organizations, subcontractors, third parties and nth parties in SOC 2 reports? We’re very talented… Read More > Preparing for Financial Responsibility Rule Changes Effective July 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education will mandate additional disclosures for higher education institutions in order to… Read More > Did Poor Change Management Contribute to the AT&T Wireless and McDonald’s Outages? In the past few months, both AT&T Wireless and McDonald’s experienced system outages that affected customer service. On February 22,… Read More > Cracking the Value Creation Code: Key Considerations for the Value Creation Process This article is part of a comprehensive series exploring value creation in anticipation of a downstream transaction and as a… Read More > Managing University Costs: Strategies for Examining and Identifying Savings Opportunities How can universities control rising operational costs? The cost to run a college is amplified by a multitude of factors,… Read More > Subservice Organizations: Their Role and Impact on Your SOC Report In today’s interconnected business landscape, understanding the role of subservice organizations in SOC (System and Organization Controls) reports is paramount.… Read More > Allegheny County Marriage License Data Leak May Affect Recent Newlyweds A website glitch may have exposed thousands of couples who filed for marriage licenses in Allegheny County. Guest list? Check. Wedding… Read More > Cracking the Value Creation Code: Implementing the Value Creation Process This article is part of a comprehensive series exploring value creation in anticipation of a downstream transaction and as a… Read More > PCI DSS v4.0 is Here…Are You Ready? What do organizations need to know about PCI DSS v4.0? We published our summary of the key changes in Payment… Read More > Cracking the Value Creation Code: Laying the Foundation This article is part of a comprehensive series exploring value creation in anticipation of a downstream transaction and as a… Read More > Summary of President Biden’s 2025 Revenue Proposals Released in Treasury’s Greenbook The U.S. Treasury Department released President Biden’s administration’s fiscal year 2025 revenue proposals on March 11, 2024. The annual “Greenbook”… Read More > The Impact of the Baltimore Key Bridge Disaster on Supply Chain How will the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse impact national and regional supply chain? Tuesday's tragic bridge collapse at the Francis… Read More > The Importance of Certified Business Valuation Professionals The recent United States Tax Court opinion in the case of Estate of Scott M. Hoenshied v. Commissioner of Internal… Read More > IRS Tax-Exempt and Governmental Entity New Compliance Programs Every year, the Tax-Exempt and Government Entities division (TEGE) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issues a letter stating its… Read More > ### Fraud Risk Assessment Fraud Risk Assessment Identify Vulnerabilities, Prioritize Risks, and Strengthen Your Anti-Fraud Strategy A strong fraud risk management program will help prepare for, protect and enable your organization to develop a response plan in the event fraud risk elevates to unacceptable levels.Schneider Downs can help your organization identify and manage the risks of fraud by performing a Fraud Risk Assessment. During the process we work closely with management and create a tailored fraud risk assessment to meet the needs of your organization.The following key areas are assessed during an assessment: Overall fraud governance including Board and Senior Management oversiteFraud roles and responsibilitiesFraud risk management policies and proceduresComprehensive fraud training and awarenessFraud risk assessment, including inherent and residual risk factorsFraud assessment rating criteria in order to appropriately prioritize key fraud risksAnti-fraud control activitiesFraud monitoring and testing activities over the first, second and third lines of defenseOverall program monitoring activities to ensure that fraud risk activities are continuously assessed and mitigatedReady to get started?Contact us to learn more about our Fraud Risk Management services.About Schneider Downs Risk AdvisoryOur team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. View our additional Fraud services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Enterprise Risk Management Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA , Tony P. Ielase, CISA In today's volatile business environment, risk landscapes are changing more rapidly and with a greater impact than ever before. Effective Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is a critical enabler for strategy execution and an important competitive advantage for all organizations in the business landscape. It creates greater confidence in decision-making and achieving operational and strategic objectives while effectively enabling risks and opportunities to be actively managed.  The value is in the discipline surrounding key events to realize opportunities, minimize disruptions, manage adverse events and limit financial ramifications. For more information download our Enterprise Risk Management Brochure. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Our team of risk advisory professionals assist our clients in developing, optimizing and transforming their risk management processes.  Combining deep industry expertise with repositories of leading practice tools and accelerators, we act as a strategic advisor to implement changes to your ERM program to achieve value and minimize surprises. Our ERM service offerings include: ERM Program Assessment – Review current ERM framework and program against leading practices to identify tangible actions to enhance ERM activities, improve program acceptance and integrate ERM management with underlying business processes. ERM Program Development – Provide guidance on appropriate governance, processes and infrastructure to support the target risk management culture and objectives. Enterprise Risk Assessment – Execute activities to identify, analyze, prioritize, manage, monitor and report top risks. Download our Key Questions to Consider When Conducting an Enterprise Risk Assessment to get started. Risk Action Plans, Monitoring and Reporting – Develop and implement tools, templates and content to monitor and report risks and risk measures, risk management strategies and plans, and risk management program activities. Risk Analytics – Develop and implement Key Risk Indicators (KRI’s) to better understand individual risks, risk inter-relationships, aggregate risk exposure and risk appetite and tolerance. Risk Management Sourcing – Outsource or co-sourced risk management program activities, including risk assessments, monitoring and reporting, and analytics. Benefits of ERM More effective strategic and operational planning Planned risk-taking and the proactive management of risks Greater confidence in decision making and achieving operational and strategic objectives  Greater stakeholder confidence Enhanced organizational resilience Dealing effectively with disruptions and losses, minimizing financial impact Avoid surprises through forward planning Regulatory compliance and director protection Identifying and managing risk entity-wide Increasing positive outcomes and advantage while reducing negative surprises Reducing performance variability Improving resource deployment ERM Key Questions When Conducting an Enterprise Risk Assessment Are We Taking the Right Risks? How are the risks we take related to our strategic objectives? Do we know the significant risks we are taking? Do the risks we take give us a competitive advantage? How are the risks we take related to activities that create value? Are We Taking the Right Amount of Risk? Are we getting an adequate return that is consistent with our overall level of risk? Does our organizational culture promote or discourage risk-taking? Have we defined our risk appetite and aligned with the Board? Is our actual risk-taking consistent with our risk appetite? Are We Adequately Managing Our Risk? Is our risk management process aligned with our strategic decision-making process and existing performance measures? Is our risk management process coordinated and consistent across the entire enterprise? Does everyone use the same definition of risk? Do we have gaps and/or overlaps in our risk coverage? Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about Schneider Downs Enterprise Risk Management services. About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. Explore our full Risk Advisory Service Offerings or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Risk Management and Compliance Services Risk Management and Compliance Services Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS:Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP, James B. Yard CPA, CIAOur Risk Management and Compliance services ensure your organization is effectively mitigating risk and successfully meeting regulatory and compliance obligations.Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks.  Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. RISK MANAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE SERVICES COMPLIANCE ADVISORY ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT FRAUD RISK ASSESSMENT MERGER AND ACQUISITION RISK EVALUATION SOC COMPLIANCE, AUDITS AND READINESS SOX READINESS, OPTIMIZATION AND PROGRAM SOURCING Meet our team of experienced professionals dedicated to your success. THIRD-PARTY RISK MANAGEMENT Read the latest insight on key topics in the M&A and Transaction Advisory space. Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Services or download our Risk Advisory Services Brocure for more information.Ready to Get Started? Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.  Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Business Process Automation Business Process Optimization PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISAThe people, processes and technology within organizations and practices are constantly being challenged to increase efficiency and maximize limited resources.The Schneider Downs Business Process Optimization (BPO) services are designed to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s core business processes to ensure best practice opportunities are realized, risks are mitigated and a strong foundation exists for controls. Our team of process improvement specialists are adept in understanding and assessing complex workflows, internal risks and controls, systems functionality and automation opportunities.Our team of risk advisory professionals assist our clients in optimizing and transforming their core operational, finance and information technology processes. Combining deep industry expertise with repositories of process insights, we act as a strategic advisor to implement changes to the organization structure to achieve cost reductions and efficiencies, while also providing recommendations to better managing risk and strengthen control activities.Some of the most common triggering events that lead to companies investing in a strategic evaluation of their business processes include:Key changes in management;Control environment failures or changes;Staffing or cost reduction initiatives;Recent fraud or misstatement;Significant control deficiency, material weakness or concerning management letter comments;Untimely or inaccurate operational or financial information to make informed business decisions;Implementation of a new system or systems; andAcquisitions or divestituresWhat does our BPO process look like?Results include an organizational assessment and dashboard of current state against better practice opportunities, as well as a summary of work performed, global risk overviews, and recommendations to achieve increased efficiency, process improvement and internal control environment enhancements.Ready to get started?Contact us to learn more about Schneider Downs Business Process Optimization services.About Schneider Downs Risk AdvisoryOur team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Services or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Internal Audit Sourcing Internal Audit Sourcing PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA, Tony P. Ielase CISA Our internal audit service model provides solutions to allow for a highly-effective internal audit function to serve your institution in a complex risk environment. We can provide a cost-effective solution to staff an internal audit function and provide the various necessary skills required to meet the challenges facing internal audit and the business.  We are suited to assist organizations with providing effective internal audit solutions in the following ways: Ability to address geographic dispersion through our affiliation with Prime Global Experience and knowledge to assess complex business environments using a risk-based approach to derive maximum value Experienced information technology resources to assess complex information systems Access to an experienced team of internal audit and IT audit resources Depth of knowledge Access to industry and subject matter expertise Knowledge of regulatory demands Ability to benchmark against industry best practices Use of automated tools and technology to improve audit efficiency Schneider Downs is positioned to provide internal audit support, from staff augmentation to full outsourcing. We work closely with internal audit functions, management, and Audit Committees to achieve the scope of coverage organizations require. In a co-sourcing arrangement, we partner with your professionals to fill problematic gaps in your internal audit function, in order to mitigate exposure to crucial areas requiring attention beyond your reach. Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about our Internal Audit Sourcing services. About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. Explore our full Risk Advisory Service Offerings or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What has COVID-19 taught us about our businesses processes? If you’re like the employees of Schneider Downs, you haven’t seen the inside of your office since mid-March. The first… Read More > Processes Under Pressure COVID-19 has impacted work environments in ways never imagined. Teams, offices – even entire companies – have shifted to working… Read More > The Value of Business Process Analysis in your Succession Plan Are you planning to exit your business in the next 5-10 years? Have you thought about succession plans for your… Read More > ### Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Quality Assurance Review (QAR) PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA (Pittsburgh), Tony P. Ielase CISA (Columbus) Whether electing a full external assessment or a self-assessment with independent external validation, a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) allows audit committees and chief audit executives to evaluate the activities of their internal audit (IA) function and determine whether policies, procedures and practices of the function adhere to The Institute of Internal Auditors’ (The IIA) Core Principles, International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Standards) and the Code of Ethics. Our experienced professionals leverage our Internal Audit Strategic Framework to assess your internal audit function’s activities against leading practices of other internal audit functions we have observed, and provide insights and recommendations to elevate the performance and value of the function to stakeholders. Schneider Downs’s Internal Audit Strategic Framework Our QAR professionals are required to meet the qualification requirements as defined in Standard 1312 - qualified, independent reviewer or review team from outside the organization. The Standard defines qualified individuals as persons with the technical proficiency, business experience and educational background appropriate for the audit activities to be reviewed. For this reason, QARs are conducted by the management of our practice. In addition, many of our QAR professionals also have experience in industry within internal audit functions and have also served as a Chief Audit Executive (CAE) so they know the challenges of leading an IA function and thus will provide practical, non-theoretical recommendations where appropriate. Quality Assurance Review Process What does our QAR process look like? DATA COLLECTION Conduct interviews of key stakeholders (i.e., audit committee, executive management, IA team members) Develop questionnaire for other stakeholders Collect key documents that will support the QAR (i.e., risk assessment, IA charter, working papers, IA reports, Quality Assurance results, IA resumes, etc.) ANALYSIS Assess documentation against the IIA Standards Review sample of executed audits to ensure compliance with existing IA policies and IIA Standards Leverage our SD Internal Audit Strategic Framework to assess areas for improvement Summarize and analyze interview/questionnaire results and develop positive themes and potential areas for improvement REPORTING Report on conformance with the IIA Standards (Generally Conforms, Partially Conforms, Does Not Conform) Identify IA’s areas of strength Identify areas for improvement based on stakeholder feedback and our experience with leading practice recommendations Results include an overall assessment with conformance  against the IIA Standards, as well as a high level roadmap for the most impactful opportunities for improvement, and detailed assessment against our SD Internal Audit Strategic Framework – highlighting both strengths and value add recommendations. Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about Schneider Downs Quality Assurance Review (QAR) services. QAR is just one of the many risk-based advisory services offered by Schneider Downs, explore our additional services on our Risk Advisory Services homepage. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261). The climate-focused… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Retirement Plans and IRAs The Internal Revenue Service published 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) in Notice 2023-75 on November 1, 2023.The COLA increases will become… Read More > The SEC ‘Names Rule’: Unpacking the Impacts to ESG Funds On September 20th, the SEC finalized its amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act 40”) that addresses the… Read More > ### Data Analytics for Internal Audit Data Analytics for Internal Audit PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA, Tony P. Ielase, CISA Internal Audit organizations are focusing on how to use data to improve their role in evaluating and monitoring key risks and business activities. In fact, most have this as one of their key strategic priorities for their function in the future. Evaluating data and building an analytics process can be a heavy undertaking requiring training, tools and expertise. Many organizations are in the early stages of integrating data analytics and continuous monitoring into their audit and business processes. As business processes transform and become more automated, internal audit needs to adapt on how to evaluate the process and mitigate the risk. This can be an opportunity to not only incorporate analytics but transform the entire department. Internal Audit is in a unique position when it comes to data analytics and continuous monitoring, they can be used to improve audits but also become a resource for innovation and decision making for the organization. Whether you have started your journey or you don’t know where to start, we are here to help and be a partner. Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about our Data Analytics for Internal Audit service. About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks.  Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Services or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261). The climate-focused… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Retirement Plans and IRAs The Internal Revenue Service published 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) in Notice 2023-75 on November 1, 2023.The COLA increases will become… Read More > Think Before You Click: Fake Browser Updates are Back in Style Why are malware-laced fake browser updates having a moment in 2023?The adage “what’s old is new again,” is certainly true in the cyber… Read More > The SEC ‘Names Rule’: Unpacking the Impacts to ESG Funds On September 20th, the SEC finalized its amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act 40”) that addresses the… Read More > ### Internal Audit Solutions Internal Audit Solutions Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA Our Internal Audit solutions allow for a highly effective internal audit function to serve your organization in a complex risk environment. Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks.  Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. INTERNAL AUDIT SOLUTIONS audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.DATA ANALYTICS FOR INTERNAL AUDIT audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.INTERNAL AUDIT BENCHMARKING AND METRICS audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.INTERNAL AUDIT QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.INTERNAL AUDIT SOURCING AND OUTSOURCING audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT PLANS audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.STRATEGIC INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND TRANSFORMATION Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Services or download our Risk Advisory Services Brocure for more information.Ready to Get Started? Contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.  Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### SAP Audits and Controls SAP Audits and Controls PRIMARY CONTACT: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP Schneider Downs has the SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA, and SAP GRC expertise to assist organizations to identify their SAP key controls and to partner with organizations in their on-going control and audit compliance requirements. Organizations use our services in every part of their SAP maturity journey, including guiding companies with controls requirements during the implementation process, post-implementation and segregation of duties reviews, annual audits and SAP health checks and testing. Our professionals are well versed in the entire SAP environment and multiple SAP versions. Our services include extracting data from SAP tables for data analysis, ITGC testing including SAP security and SAP transport management, SAP application controls within the IMG, auditing supporting operating systems, SAP GRC solutions, and SAP ancillary/bolt-on applications. We serve clients that range from mid-size to large as well as international companies. For more information please contact us. SAP services that we offer include: Outsourcing and co-sourcing of SAP audits Assist in documenting As-Is and To-Be processes for data transformation projects (e.g, SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC, acquisitions) Assist in completing key project deliverables (e.g., process, controls, etc) Reviewing key deliverables of SAP projects (e.g., evaluating the project plan, participation in periodic status meetings with the project team, reviewing key controls and security, and other key deliverables, etc) Assist in documenting SAP business and IT (ITGC and application) controls Assess Security and Controls Strategy Develop audit programs and testing instructions for the Security/Controls/Internal Audit Teams Conduct SAP audit training Evaluate SAP security roles Evaluate the design and testing effectiveness of SAP key controls within a controls framework Conduct SAP post-implementation review, ITGC, automated control, and business process audits Evaluate the Segregation of Duties (SOD) Rule Set, sensitive transactions, emergency request process, and the SAP transport change process Assist in customizing the SOD Rule Set and sensitive transactions Schneider Downs SAP Resources SAP Audits and Controls Service Overview SAP Services Overview For each service, Schneider Downs uses a top-down, risk based approach that fits the organization size, culture, and requirements.  We will work collaboratively with management on the scope and testing approach.  Our approach includes periodically communicating status, issues, and providing a report with recommendations to strengthen the SAP controls environment. Let our trained SAP professionals navigate the complexities of SAP to provide the assurance you need. OUR THOUGHTS ON Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? Manufacturers whose activities consist of the development of new or improved business products or processes may be eligible for federal… Read More > Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Since our dedicated IT Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity professionals are so heavily involved with ISACA, I jumped at the opportunity… Read More > Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Having financial freedom means doing the things you want to do when you want to do them without having to… Read More > Holiday Spending and Budgeting Even though the holiday season is something most of us look forward to, it has a way of sneaking up… Read More > ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS On December 4th, 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) produced its final regulatory technical standards (RTS) regarding the… Read More > Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Payment Card Industry Security Standard Compliance PCI DSS Compliance Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Successfully obtaining and maintaining Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance can sometimes be a monumental effort between several business processes across a variety of business units, encompassing both manual and automated procedures that involve an array of systems and personnel throughout the organization. Download our PCI DSS Service Overview As a certified Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), Schneider Downs is equipped to assist clients with their PCI compliance journey from the initial scoping and/or reduction of their cardholder data environment (CDE), gap/readiness assessments, and formal examinations resulting in a completed Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) or Report on Compliance (ROC) and accompanying Attestation of Compliance (AOC). In addition, the Schneider Downs Cybersecurity team provides several services pertinent to PCI DSS compliance, including penetration testing and segmentation testing. Based on published guidance and experience, the Schneider Downs team developed a five-phase approach to achieving an effective PCI compliance program with each phase following a clear, concise framework designed to deliver value to our clients. Phase I - Awareness and Project Support Develop the awareness of PCI compliance requirements and the related consequences of non-compliance at the senior management level. Phase II - Inventory and Dataflow Inventory and document the flow of credit card information throughout the organization’s various processes, including data origination, data in motion, data at rest and data in use. During the credit card information lifecycle assessment, we will utilize the following attributes associated with the flow of credit card data: Data origination: The methods for initiation of credit card transactions throughout the organization including identifying the electronic and manual methods used to accept credit card information. Data in Motion: Map the flow of the credit card information throughout the organization either in paper or electronic form to identify an inventory of all technology components that are instrumental in the transportation, processing and routing of the credit card information. Data at Rest: Identify throughout the organization where credit card information is stored and the format (paper, electronic) of the data. Data in Use: Develop a list of personnel that can access or utilize the credit card information. Phase III - Design and Scoping Begin to formulate our strategic IT architecture and process design recommendations that will limit the areas of the network that fall within the scope of the PCI compliance effort. Phase IV - Reporting and Remediation Roadmap Prepare an executive-level report detailing the results of our analysis designed to provide a realistic understanding of the current state of your control environment and the risk associated with each of the identified weaknesses or gaps. Phase V - Sustainment and Governance Provide recommendations that would enhance your compliance governance structure and embed controls in your ongoing processes that will address key security and control activities into operational processes, helping make PCI a core organizational competency. Our approach can be tailored to meet the existing needs of, and the current task being undertaken by your organization. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact Us Our Thoughts On Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Over...Now What? As October comes to an end, so does Cybersecurity Awareness Month. However, that doesn’t mean our focus on security awareness… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Purple Teaming Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Purple Teaming. In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Governance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cybersecurity Governance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Two Truths and a Lie about Cybersecurity: Cyber Insurance Let’s play a game! Two truths and a lie about Cyber Insurance.In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are examining… Read More > Deepfake Scams – A Growing Threat Deepfake-driven fraud remains a top concern for CISOs and security professionals, as the frequency and complexity of these scams continue… Read More > ### NIST The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. NIST promotes their mission by developing special publications that are devoted to specific information security topic. At Schneider Downs we have experience advising our clients using NIST guidance and frameworks such as: NIST Cybersecurity Framework Created through voluntary collaboration between industry and government, the Framework consists of standards, guidelines, and practices to promote the protection of critical infrastructure. The prioritized, flexible, repeatable, and cost-effective approach of the Framework helps owners and operators of critical infrastructure to manage cybersecurity-related risk. NIST 800-53 This publication provides a set of procedures for conducting assessments of security controls and privacy controls employed within federal information systems and organizations.. NIST 800-61 This publication assists organizations in establishing computer security incident response capabilities and handling incidents efficiently and effectively. NIST 800-30 This document provides guidance for carrying out each of the three steps in the risk assessment process (i.e., prepare for the assessment, conduct the assessment, and maintain the assessment) and how risk assessments and other organizational risk management processes complement and inform each other. NIST 800-171 This publication provides federal agencies with recommended requirements for protecting the confidentiality of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI): (i) when the CUI is resident in nonfederal information systems and organizations; (ii) when the information systems where the CUI resides are not used or operated by contractors of federal agencies or other organizations on behalf of those agencies; and (iii) where there are no specific safeguarding requirements for protecting the confidentiality of CUI prescribed by the authorizing law, regulation, or government wide policy for the CUI category or subcategory listed in the CUI Registry. NIST 800-82 This document provides guidance on how to secure Industrial Control Systems (ICS), including Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and other control system configurations such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), while addressing their unique performance, reliability, and safety requirements. Schneider Downs NIST Assessment Approach We begin our assessment by working closely with you to understand your business processes in order to understand the NIST special publication that best pertains to your organization . We will work with and interview key individuals within the business and information technology services responsible for compliance with the NIST special publication. We will evaluate your compliance with all control requirements through review of documentation supporting the operating effectiveness of controls. When our evaluation is complete, we will provide your organization with a detailed compliance assessment report outlining corrective action plans with a detailed roadmap for achieving NIST compliance. Identify NIST special publication that pertains to your organization Understand policies, processes, and controls Evaluate controls and determine if gaps exist Produce detailed report with remediation steps View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact Us ### IT Risk Assessment Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Prior to simply performing an audit, it is critical to first identify and categorize risk. A properly performed risk assessment is a critical component in understanding the complexities and requirements of the risk assessment process, prior to identifying and testing controls to mitigate the related risks. Risk assessments should be comprised of an information gathering process to identify threats and vulnerabilities the organization is facing, determining the probability and impact of those threats, identifying existing mitigating controls, designing audit procedures test the effectiveness of those mitigating controls. Throughout this process, a combination of collaborative discussion and reviews will occur with the business functions and supporting services being audited. What makes Schneider Downs stand out among our competitors is our ability to consider and understand the multiple layers of technology that help support business functions, while developing a personal focus to your business and the people supporting it. We believe in collaborating with multiple layers of your organization, staff, management, and C-level executives to ensure that risks are appropriately identified. Schneider Downs can assist your organization in identifying IT risks by performing a thorough and detailed risk assessment that will ensure that your organization has implemented the appropriate safeguards to protect the most valuable IT assets within your organization. Our Detailed Approach to IT Risk Assessment We begin our assessment by working closely with you to understand your business functions and take an inventory of the technologies used to support those functions. We will work with and interview key individuals within the business and information technology services to understand information policies, procedures, and practices through the following: Hold information-gathering sessions. Identify threats and vulnerabilities. Determine the probability and likelihood of threats occurring. Evaluate the effectiveness of controls. Determine overall residual risk. Our ultimate goal is to assess your organization’s risk appetite for your business functions and supporting technologies by identifying gaps and providing detailed recommendations to effectively close those gaps to mitigate potential risks to the business. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### IT General Controls Audit Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. IT general controls (ITGC) are the basic controls that can be applied to IT systems such as applications, operating systems, databases, and supporting IT infrastructure. The objectives of ITGCs are to ensure the integrity of the data and processes that the systems support. The most common ITGCs are as follows: Logical access controls over applications, data and supporting infrastructure Program change management controls Backup and recovery controls Computer operation controls Data center physical security controls System development life cycle controls Detailed Approach to IT General Controls We assist organizations in designing ITGC frameworks and providing operating effectiveness assurance through co-sourcing and outsourcing of ITGC audits. Schneider Downs dedicated IT audit professionals have experience working with a wide variety of industries of all sizes. We partner with you to provide a comprehensive ITGC coverage to manage and mitigate ITGC risks within your IT environment. Our ITGC services will be tailored to the organizations risk appetite and compliance requirements. With a large number of skilled and seasoned IT Auditors on-staff, we are able to tailor IT audit plans and deliver results that are designed to mitigate the most critical risks to your organization. Our staff also delivers the utmost integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, and independence required by the auditing standards. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact Us ### ISO 27001 Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. ISO 27001 Certification Process The certification process is divided into two stages: The "Stage 1 Audit" and the "Stage 2 Audit". The "Stage 1 Audit" consists of a documentation review. During Stage 1, the ISO 27001 assessor reviews policies and procedures to ensure that appropriate policies and procedures are in place to meet the requirements of the ISMS. The "Stage 2 Audit" consists of the ISO 27001 auditor performing tests of effectiveness to ensure that controls have been implemented to meet the requirements of the ISMS. Additional ISO 27001 Certification Requirements In addition to the Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits, the following must be performed to become ISO 27001 certified: A periodic and independent internal audit of the ISMS against the requirements of the ISO 27001 standard. Many organizations have trouble meeting the internal audit requirement do to the following reasons: They do not have personnel that are truly independent. Those responsible for conducting the internal audit should not be auditing functions over which they have operational control or ownership. To combat these issues, organizations are outsourcing the internal audit requirement to CPA firms, such as Schneider Downs, that possess the appropriate knowledge of internal audit and ISO 27001. Our ISO 27001 Internal Audit Approach We begin our assessment by working closely with you to understand your business processes in order to understand your ISO 27001 compliance scope. We will work with and interview key individuals within the business and information technology services responsible for implementing the ISO 270001 controls to understand information security policies, procedures, and practices. We will evaluate your compliance with all control requirements through review of documentation supporting the operating effectiveness of controls. When our evaluation is complete, we will provide your organization with a detailed ISO 27001 compliance assessment report outlining corrective action plans with a detailed roadmap for achieving ISO 27001 compliance. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### IRS Publication 1075 Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. To foster a tax system based on voluntary compliance, the public must maintain a high degree of confidence that the personal and financial information maintained by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is protected against unauthorized use, inspection, or disclosure. IRS Publication 1075 provides guidance to ensure the policies, practices, controls, and safeguards employed by recipient agencies, agents, or contractors adequately protect the confidentiality of Federal Tax Information (FTI). FTI is defined by the IRS as any return or return information received from the IRS or secondary source (e.g. Social Security Association). Publication 1075, Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies and Entities provide very detailed audit requirements. Publication 1075 documents the managerial, operational, and technical security controls that must be implemented as a condition of receipt of FTI. IRS has mapped the IRS Publication 1075 control requirements to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) control requirements (NIST SP 800-53). IRS Publication 1075 has the following key Sections: Section 1.0, Introduction Section 2.0, Federal Tax Information and Reviews Section 3.0, Record Keeping Requirement Section 4.0, Secure Storage Section 5.0, Restricting Access Section 6.0, Other Safeguards Section 7.0, Reporting Requirements Section 8.0, Disposing of FTI Section 9.0, Computer System Security Schneider Downs specializes in the implementation and ongoing support of IRS Publication 1075 programs that align with this IRS publication. We apply a risk-based, top-down approach that drives both efficiency and effectiveness into the programs. Detailed Approach to IRS Publication 1075 Schneider Downs’ dedicated IT, financial and operational audit professionals have experience working with a wide variety of industries of all sizes. We partner with you to assist your company in complying with the IRS Publication 1075 requirements. Our IRS Publication 1075 Process Assistance in implementing and maintaining a comprehensive IRS 1075 program. Assistance in implementing the proper policies and soldiers. Inventory existing in key FTI controls and systems and identify missing controls. Performance design and testing of effectiveness, independent testing for key FTI internal controls. Communications of recommendations to strengthen IRS 1075 controls. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. ### InfoSec Policy Templates Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The following is a library of free information security policy templates that map to the HITRUST Common Security Framework, which in turn maps to a multitude of security frameworks (NIST, ISO, Cobit, HIPAA, PCI, SOC, etc.). The policy templates were developed by our team of information security, compliance, and risk experts to provide our clients and constituents with a base of governance documentation. Each policy is designed with fill-in-the-blank text and should be customized to accurately represent the controls operating within your organization. To report any issues or enhancements related to these free templates, please contact us at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. Policy TemplatesPolicy IntroductionData Classification PolicyPolicy Management PolicyRisk Management PolicyRoles PolicyData Management PolicySystems Access PolicyAuditing PolicyConfiguration Management PolicyFacility Access PolicyIncident Response PolicyBreach Notification PolicyDisaster Recovery PolicyRemovable Media PolicySystems Development Lifecycle PolicyVulnerability Scanning PolicyData Integrity PolicyData Retention PolicyThird Party PolicyEmployee and Teleworking PoliciesAsset Inventory and Device Management PolicyAbout Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.  To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page.  ### Information Technology Audit Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. With highly publicized incidences of data loss and increasing security risks, many organizations struggle to develop and maintain a strong information technology (IT) control environment to mitigate IT risks. Employing qualified IT professionals has also become more difficult due to the high cost of training, limited availability of qualified resources and escalating compensation requirements. The role of IT audit has never been more important. In order to effectively manage the IT risk universe, your IT audit function needs to be skilled, trained and up-to-date with the ever-evolving IT field. In addition, your IT audit function should be well versed on a large variety of IT compliance issues, new and evolving regulations and IT best practices that provide value to your organization. Schneider Downs can assist your organization by providing skilled IT audit professionals to meet your IT audit and risk needs. We can work with you to augment your current IT audit staff, or we can operate as a fully outsourced IT audit function. Either way, we will ensure that we provide IT audits that address the most critical risks to your organization. Detailed Approach to Information Technology Audits Schneider Downs' dedicated IT audit professionals have experience working with a wide variety of industries of all sizes. We will partner with you to provide comprehensive IT audits to manage and mitigate IT risks within your enterprise IT environment. We provide a wide range of services that can be tailored to an organization's risk appetite and compliance requirements. With a large number of skilled and seasoned IT Auditors on staff, we can tailor IT audit plans and deliver results that are designed to mitigate the most critical risks to your organization. Our staff also delivers the utmost integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, and independence required by the auditing standards. Our IT Audit Process Interview network administrators and third-party vendors and conduct network searches for sensitive or critical data and systems. Conduct network security reviews and scans, and review security policies, procedures and logs. Review findings with security and management to reach a consensus. Issue a report with as-needed threats, risks, gaps, recommendations, strategies, policies, or procedures. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. ### HITRUST ### HIPAA Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed by Congress in 1996 with the aim of requiring the protection and confidential handling of protected health information (PHI), both in paper and electronic forms (ePHI).The subsequent passing of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, modified the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary's authority to impose civil money penalties for HIPAA violations. These HITECH Act revisions have significantly increased enforcement actions and the penalty amounts HHS may impose for violations of the HIPAA rules. These HIPAA rules are required for companies that store, process, or handle ePHI either as a covered entity or business associate.Schneider Downs can assist your organization in meeting these rules by performing an independent HIPAA / HITECH gap analysis that will ensure that your organization has implemented the appropriate safeguards to protect the sensitive PHI and ePHI within your organization.Detailed Approach of HIPAA ComplianceWe begin our assessment by gaining and understanding of your business processes and taking an inventory of areas where PHI / ePHI are used or stored. We will work with and interview key individuals within the business and information technology services areas of your organization to understand information security policies, procedures, and practices. We will examine administrative, physical and technical safeguards that your organization has implemented to protect PHI / ePHI.What makes the Schneider Downs process so effective is that our HIPAA compliance assessment is aligned with the HHS audit protocol. Using our deep understanding of the HHS' HIPAA Audit Protocol we perform a detailed review of policies and procedures adopted and employed by covered entities or business associates to meet the standards and implementation specifications of the Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules.Our ultimate goal is to assess your organization's compliance with the HIPAA rules, identify gaps and provide you with detailed recommendations to effectively close those gaps and ultimately protect ePHI / PHI. We will by provide your organization with a HIPAA compliance assessment report outlining all gaps along with a detailed roadmap to achieve ultimate compliance.Our HIPAA compliance Assessment ProcessIdentify use and storage of PHI/ePHIUnderstand policies, process and controlsEvaluate controls and determine if gaps existProduce detailed report with remediation stepsAbout Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.  To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page.  View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### GDPR Compliance Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect on May 25, 2018. The regulation is specific to the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data. The regulation applies to any organization doing business in the EU or that processes personal data originating in the EU, be it data of residents or visitors. The GDPR has made profound changes to the understanding of privacy, data protection and personal data in the EU and has wide-ranging effects on anyone processing personal data of data subjects of the EU. A data subject is defined as a person whose personal data is being captured and processed. If your organization captures just one record of an EU data subject, this regulation applies to you. GDPR also changes the way that these laws are enforced and brings potential penalties that are significant in nature. Penalties for failing to comply with the articles of GDPR may subject the organization to fines up to €20m or 4% of the organization’s total global revenue, whichever is greater. How We Can Help Schneider Downs provides multiple solutions to help our clients achieve and maintain compliance with GDPR: Comprehensive compliance and gap assessment Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and Privacy Impact Assessment project management Data discovery and data classification programs Data Protection Officer as a service offering—a Schneider Downs expert can assume this required role for your organization. Guidance and implementation of erasure, or “right to be forgotten” programs Guidance and implementation of security measures, including anonymization and pseudonymization of personal data Developing and executing training and awareness programs Guidance and implementation of vendor management best practices for ensuring controls over data in the supply chain Policy and procedure development to bring current practices into compliance Schneider Downs Approach to GDPR Compliance 1. Awareness You should make sure that decision-makers and key people in your organization are aware that regulations are changing. They need to appreciate the impact that these changes are likely to have on your organization. In addition, line-level and larger scale training may be necessary for certain personnel within your organization who handle personal data on a regular basis. 2. Document the Personal Information You Hold You should document what personal data you hold, where it came from, what you do with it and who you share it with. We use data flow diagrams and business process maps for each of these processes. 3. Communicating Privacy Information You should review your current privacy policies, procedures, contracts and notices and put a plan in place for making any necessary changes to meet the GDPR deadline. 4. Individuals’ Rights: Right to Be Forgotten, Transfer Data or Correct Data, etc. You should check your procedures to ensure that they cover all the rights individuals have, including how you would delete any obsolete data (e.g., right to be forgotten), transfer data upon request or correct any incorrect information. 5. Data Subject Access Requests for Data / Information on Data Handling You should update your procedures and plan how you will handle data extraction requests to meet the 30-day requirement. Data subjects have the right to obtain confirmation from the controller as to whether or not personal data concerning him or her is being processed and, where that is the case, access to the personal data. They also have the right to inquire about the nature of further processing and treatment of their data while it was in the controller’s possession. 6. Inventory Your Data Identify all the data subjects for which you process or store sensitive data and determine whether GDPR applies to their country. Document the supervisory authority for each member country and identify the data controller for each process. You need to also determine who the lead supervisory authority will be based on your overall activities. 7. Lawful Basis for Processing Personal Data You should review your current practices and contracts and identify the lawful basis for your processing activity under the GDPR, document it, and update your privacy notice to explain it. 8. Consent You should review how you seek, record and manage consent and whether you need to make any changes. Refresh existing consent processes now if they do not meet the GDPR standard. 9. Data Breaches / Incident Response Plan You should make sure you have an incident response plan in place to detect, report and investigate a personal data breach. The plan needs to be documented and tested. 10. Security of Processing You should ensure that certain technical safeguards are in place to ensure that risk to personal data is effectively mitigated. Your plan should include techniques such as the pseudonymization and encryption of personal data. Effective controls to not only ensure the ongoing security, but also the confidentiality and availability of personal data must also be in place. 11. Data Protection by Design and Data Protection Impact Assessments You should familiarize yourself now with the code of practice on Data Protection Impact Assessments as well as the latest guidance from the Article 29 Working Party, and decide how, when or if you need to implement these in your organization. 12. Data Protection Officers You should designate someone to take responsibility for data protection compliance and assess where this role will sit within your organization’s structure and governance model. You need to determine whether you are required to formally designate a Data Protection Officer. If so, this position must report to the highest levels of management. If your organization is late to comply with GDPR, please visit the “Our Thoughts On” blog to read more about our recommendations on how to become compliant. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### FFIEC IT Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) is a formal interagency body empowered to prescribe uniform principles, standards, and report forms for the federal examination of financial institutions by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and to make recommendations to promote uniformity in the supervision of financial institutions. These agencies prescribe regulations and best practices for financial institutions. Schneider Downs is well-versed and experienced in all the various guidance that the FFIEC has released and can assist your organization in achieving FFIEC compliance within your organization. Topical areas include: Audit Business Continuity Planning Development and Acquisition E-Banking Information Security Management Operations Outsourcing Technology Services Retail Payment Systems Supervision of Technology Service Providers Wholesale Payment Systems Detailed Approach to FFIEC Compliance We begin our assessment by working closely with you to understand the current state of your organization in relation to the audit topic. We review previous audit results, examiner comments/ratings and interview management. We then review policies and procedures in relation to the examination guidance from the FFIEC. From there we will dig deeper into the actual business practices and controls related to the audit topic at hand. After this analysis we provide a detailed report outlining considerations such as current gaps and detailed recommendations to close those gaps. What makes the Schneider Downs process so effective is that our FFIEC compliance assessments are aligned with the FFIEC examiner audit protocol. Through our deep understanding of FFIEC audit protocol we can perform a detailed review of your information technology operations. Our ultimate goal is to assess your organization's compliance with the FFIEC guidelines, identify gaps and provide you with detailed recommendations to effectively close those gaps and ultimately protect customer information. Our FFIEC Compliance Process Identify current state Understand policies, process and controls Evaluate controls and determine if gaps exist Produce detailed report with remediation steps About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. ### Network Device Security Configuration Assessment Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. It is critical to assess risks prevalent within an organization’s core network infrastructure. As technology constantly evolves, core network appliances and other devices are frequently shipped and installed with "out-of-box" settings that lack the hardening required for maximum security.Schneider Downs has the expertise to identify and assess the risks of single and cumulative vulnerabilities that exist across a wide range of devices, from firewalls to switches and routers. Our Network Device Security and Configuration Assessment is a comprehensive analysis of potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations on a device.We perform automated and manual assessments and take a collaborative approach to establishing an action plan to remediate all identified vulnerabilities. We also consider any other security components and mitigating factors in determining the overall risk to the security posture of the organization's internal network appliances.Detailed Approach to a Network Device Security and Configuration AssessmentDEVELOP TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDINGSchneider Downs begins by developing an understanding of our client's network infrastructure through reviewing the network topology, meeting with key technical personnel and understanding any other points of access that may not be indicated within the organization's technical documentation.DETERMINE HIGH RISK DEVICES: From here, we collaborate with the client to determine which high risk devices to incorporate into our assessment.AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION OF VULNERABILITIES FOR HIGH-RISK DEVICES: We then take an automated approach to identify all vulnerabilities or misconfigurations for each device.ASSESS VULNERABILITIES CONSIDERING MITIGATING FACTORS: We utilize our deep experience to collaborate with our clients and assess the findings to determine their actual threat and risk exposure to the organization. In doing so, we take care to consider other mitigating factors—such as superseding rule sets, access levels, isolation within the network and other security devices—that will impact risk.PROVIDE DETAILED VULNERABILITY REPORT:We will provide a comprehensive vulnerability report with the following data points for each vulnerability or misconfiguration uncovered during the assessment: findings, rating, impact, ease of exploit, recommendations and ease of fix.CLIENT DISCUSSION:We meet with the client to discuss our fully vetted findings to ensure that the risks posed for each vulnerability or misconfiguration, along with our recommendations for remediation, are fully understood.About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Cybersecurity Resources Resource Library Our Thoughts On ### Data Privacy Services PRIMARY CONTACTS: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP Eric M. Fair CISA, CDPSE, CBCLA Data is one of the most valued and targeted assets across all industries and organizations, which is why it is critical to know how to effectively manage and protect it. With the technology and regulatory landscape constantly changing, the methods organizations take to protect the privacy of data should also constantly evolve. An effective data privacy program can be a business differentiator within your market and industry. By being transparent with your data practices, answering customer concerns upfront, along with the ability to show that employees with access to customer data are regularly trained, will collectively help gain and retain customer trust to differentiate your business amongst competitors and in-turn speed up the sales cycle. Schneider Downs Data Privacy Services Business Process and Data Flow A critical component to understanding how an organization’s data (oftentimes consumer data) travels throughout its lifecycle is to develop business processes and data flow diagrams. Learn More Data Privacy Control Assessment Regardless of whether your data privacy program was recently established or tenured, it’s important to assess its ongoing effectiveness in today’s ever-evolving technological world. Learn More Data Protection Impact Assessment  A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help identify and minimize data protection risks to an organization. Learn More NIST Privacy Framework Compliance The NIST Privacy Framework is intended to be leveraged as a foundation to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk to build innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. Learn More Privacy by Design Our approach to Privacy by Design ensures that privacy and security controls are aligned with an organization’s tolerance for risk, its compliance with regulations, and its commitment to building a sustainable privacy-minded culture.  Learn More Privacy Regulations and Compliance Prepare your organization for compliance with data privacy regulations including GDPR, CPRA, CCPA, New York SHIELD Act, GLBA and HIPAA. Learn More Why Do You Need a Data Privacy Program? The following are key reasons to develop your organization’s Data Privacy Program: Be a good corporate citizen Competitive differentiator Continually monitor, maintain and improve the privacy program Continue to meet regulatory compliance obligations Enhance the organization’s reputation/brand Entry into new markets Facilitate privacy awareness of employees, customers, partners and service providers Increase value/quality of data Meet client/consumer expectations Promote consumer trust and confidence Reduce risk to and respond effectively to privacy breaches Schneider Downs Data Privacy Resources Schneider Downs Service Overview – Data Privacy Services Schneider Downs Whitepaper – Top Ten Privacy Trends for 2021 Schneider Downs Infographic – Top Ten Privacy Trends for 2021 Schneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ Articles – IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs ‘Our Thoughts On’ Articles – Cybersecurity About Schneider Downs Data Privacy Services At Schneider Downs, our IT Risk Advisory Practice has a team of professionals who specialize in data privacy. Our team not only understands the evolving data privacy regulations but also the technologies that allow for opportunities to enable controls in the effort of reducing and protecting the data footprint and ongoing risks of non-compliance. Ready to Get Started? For more information on how we can help your data privacy needs please contact us. ### Digital Transformation FAQs Digital Transformation Frequently Asked Questions PRIMARY CONTACT: Patrick B. Armknecht CPA, CITPDigital Transformation is one of the fastest-growing terms across all organizations and industries. The Schneider Downs Digital Transformation group has prepared a listing of Frequently Asked Questions to help interested parties better understand what Digital Transformation is, how the process works, tangible benefits of the solution and more.What is Digital Transformation?Schneider Downs defines Digital Transformation as the use of technological innovations and business expertise to develop strategic transformative solutions that drive business process improvement for organizations of all sizes.  We believe Digital Transformation involves evaluating the purpose, efficiency and effectiveness of processes, reimagining how processes should work and identifying and leveraging technology to execute upon the reimagined process.Why is Digital Transformation important?More than ever before, businesses today are in need of timely, accurate, and meaningful data.  Shortcomings in existing processes and technologies result in issues such as data integrity, timeliness, and completeness of the information that business operations need to make informed business decisions. Combined with the increasingly digital world and dependency on data, the importance of Digital Transformation will continue to grow.What are the benefits and obstacles of Digital Transformation?Some of the key benefits of digital transformation include:Adapt to Change – Better respond to market disruptions and customer needs with increased organizational flexibility.Data Accessibility and Reliability – Improve visibility to data and increase comfort over the completeness and accuracy of data utilized in financial reporting.Employee Engagement – Alleviate unnecessary or redundant tasks from employees, allowing time for them to focus on higher-value-added tasks.Enhanced Use of Existing Software – Identify features and functionality of existing business applications that are unutilized or underutilized to maximize existing investments and strengthen processes.Improved Customer Relations – Provide better visibility into the customer experience and make more informed decisions related to buying habits, delivery of products and services, and support.Improved Reporting and Analytics – Improve timeliness and availability of financial and operational reporting and analytics to better support business insights that drive management decisions.Increased Revenue – Achieve better visibility into current processes and identify new opportunities for growth by recognizing and taking action on patterns and trends that otherwise would not have been visible or readily apparent.Reduced Cost – Save time and money by freeing up employees from non-value added tasks and by replacing patch-worked technology with robust multi-purpose solutions.Reduced Risk – Eliminate existing control gaps in processes while improving audit trails for compliance and regulatory requirements.Streamlined and Standardized Processes – Reduce inefficiencies in existing processes and create additional efficiencies through automation, standard operating procedures and training.How Can Digital Transformation Help My Business?Digital Transformation can help your business maintain a competitive advantage by embracing the rapid changes in the technology world. The companies that will be the most responsive to customer needs, the most able to adapt to changing market demands, are those that have the processes and technology in place to adapt to those needs and changes quickly and effectively.Thinking of it differently, what is the impact of not transforming? Can your organization scale and increase market share with its current technologies and processes, or will it need to undergo significant changes to keep up and prepare for the future?How can I justify the cost of Digital Transformation?Digital Transformation can be a large investment in time, money, and other resources, and budgeting for it can often be a non-starter.  There are investments needed to be made in new technologies and to enhance existing technologies, employees who will need training on new procedures and technologies, and sometimes entire new departments will need to be created, just to name a few.  These constraints can be overcome by demonstrating the value of digital transformation.  Developing an ROI can help prove the use case for digital transformation. In addition, taking on what may be considered a “quick win” of your overall digital transformation plan to prove the value can also build momentum and success for the entire effort.What are the key starting steps to Digital Transformation?Digital Transformation requires a culture that supports innovation and we understand getting started can seem daunting. Organizations should begin by laying out a communication plan that outlines the organization's goals, objectives for Digital Transformation, and states the plan that will facilitate and support this important organizational change.  The plan should also convey why it is important, what that change looks like and means to the organization and individuals involved, and that leadership is committed and invested in promoting and supporting the Digital Transformation initiative.How do I deal with internal resistance to Digital Transformation?Employees and even leadership will to some degree resist change.  This will especially be true if planning efforts are not established up front.  This is why having a change management plan is an important tool to have in place at the onset of any Digital Transformation initiative.  In our experience, a valid strategy within a change management plan is starting with a pilot area ripe for change. demonstrating early wins can be a catalyst for acceptance to change.   If you see internal resistance as a barrier to successful digital transformation, it may be beneficial to start with a pilot area in order to demonstrate value and wins to the organization.  This helps build the internal momentum needed to branch out to other areas of the business.What types of technologies are used in Digital Transformation?Digital Transformation can use a wide range of technologies with several different purposes.  These technologies are designed to be scalable, enable improved data reliability, increase productivity, provide timely reporting and data analysis, and support organizational improvement by further automating and supporting business processes.  Some examples of these technologies include:Artificial Intelligence/Machine LearningAutomation and WorkflowCompliance & SecurityData Management & IntegrationInfrastructure and CloudReporting, Planning, and Data AnalyticsWill Digital Transformation and technology replace my employees?No, the intention of Digital Transformation is to enable people across all functional areas to perform value-added tasks.  While technology may be able to replace redundant tasks, it is not meant to replace people. We believe technology is supplemental and supports what people will do for an organization because technology cannot replace a human’s ability to think creatively, critically, strategically, and collaboratively.What types of process changes should I expect through Digital Transformation?Processes across multiple business areas will benefit from optimized workstreams that utilize technology and workflow automation.  Examples of such changes include reduced manual steps, elimination of duplicate efforts, enhanced use of existing software capabilities, and better enforcement of controls and standard operating procedures.  Some of the business areas that benefit the most from digital transformation include:Financial Close, Reporting, Planning & AnalysisFixed AssetsHire to RetireInventory Planning & ManagementMarket to Order to CashPayrollProcure to PayTreasury ManagementWhat industries does Digital Transformation impact?Digital Transformation is affecting all industries, but how and to what degree it affects them differs from industry to industry. Here are some key factors that have bearing on that impact:The industry’s dependency on technology and the pace of those technological enhancements,What specific types of technology the industry uses to facilitate business processes, andThe magnitude of stakeholder dependency on technology, such as for customers, suppliers, and employees.What are some indicators that it is the right time to start Digital Transformation?The right time to start depends on a number of factors, but in general, the sooner the better.  Factors such as your organizational readiness, industry, market, finances, long-term strategy, compliance and government regulations may all come into play. Here are some common triggering events:Accelerated growth outpacing current finance and accounting abilities;Acquisitions or divestitures;Implementation of a new system or systems;Inefficiencies;Significant employee turnover;Multiple locations lacking standardization or alignment of best practices;Staffing or cost reduction initiatives;Untimely or inaccurate operational or financial information to make informed business decisions; andDesire to scale and be an industry leader.How long does Digital Transformation take?Every digital transformation project is unique and will require a plan specific to an organization’s goals and objectives.  That said, you should expect the effort to take time – many months and often longer.  In fact, in many ways digital transformation is more of an evolutionary process, rather than an individual project with a set start and end date.  There are often multiple projects within an overall digital transformation project that need to occur to achieve the overall objectives.  In addition, technology will always evolve, so organizations must evolve with it. This may require future digital transformation efforts to maintain that competitive edge achieved by your organization’s initial efforts. That said, you should think of the early stages of digital transformation as the most important because they establish the foundation on which your organization will achieve long-term success.How can I help my organization succeed with Digital Transformation?To be successful, an organization should be prepared to dedicate internal resources and seek external expertise.  Internally, leaders within IT, finance and accounting, operations, HR, and other areas should expect to manage teams that will participate in these efforts.  Leaders should also be prepared to culturally support the change that comes with digital transformation.  At the same time, seeking expertise from those that specialize in Digital Transformation, who can bring best practices and experience to your organization, and perform many of the tasks necessary that cannot be done by your resources due to availability or inability, will also be a key to successful digital transformation.Who are the stakeholders for Digital Transformation?Stakeholders are classified as either internal or external to the organization. Internally, stakeholders come from each of the areas that have some role or impact as a result of digital transformation. Examples include finance and accounting, IT, human resources, leadership teams, committees, and ownership. Externally, stakeholders include your customers, suppliers, shareholders, creditors, government and other outside relationships that will be impacted by this effort.How do we dedicate time to Digital Transformation while still managing our day-to-day responsibilities?When it comes to implementing digital transformation, the management team must strike the right balance with current business operations and other company initiatives.  That balance is different for each business, however, it begins by designing an approach to implementing digital transformation that prioritizes company resources (human, technological, and financial) around the expected organizational impact of digital transformation, while keeping a workable balance between existing responsibilities and other company initiatives.Is Your Organization Ready for Digital Transformation?Take our brief Digital Transformation Readiness Quiz to find out!How Can Schneider Downs Help?The Schneider Downs Digital Transformation team leverages technological innovations and our business expertise to develop strategic transformative solutions that drive business process improvement for organizations of all sizes. Our solutions are built to identify and implement process and technology enhancements that are scalable and enable improved data reliability, productivity and timely reporting and analysis.For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit our Digital Transformation page at Digital Transformation.Digital Transformation ResourcesSchneider Downs Digital Transformation ArticlesSchneider Downs Digital Transformation FAQ GuideSchneider Downs Digital Transformation in Finance and AccountingSchneider Downs Digital Transformation Solutions OverviewSchneider Downs Whitepaper: Key Indicators Your Organization Can Benefit From Digital TransformationSchneider Downs Whitepaper: Navigating the Digital Transformation RoadmapAbout Schneider Downs Technology and Data ServicesSchneider Downs Technology Advisors are committed to providing value-added technology services and solutions to our clients. We strive to create an on-going mutually beneficial relationship with our clients by focusing on client satisfaction, delivery of quality service and the continuous education and training of our staff. In today's demanding world market, one of the most challenging tasks facing a company is utilizing and processing information effectively and efficiently. VIEW PDF VERSION PDF Version CONTACT US "*" indicates required fields NameCompanyEmail Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Digital Transformation in Finance & Accounting Digital Transformation in Finance and Accounting PRIMARY CONTACTS: Patrick B. Armknecht CPA, CITPOur digital transformation solutions are applicable to all industries and business process areas, however, the areas of finance and accounting are a natural place to begin the digital transformation journey. These areas tend to own and manage much of the critical data used to make business decisions.Because of this, they are often expected to provide senior leadership, management, and other decision-makers across business units with real-time, accurate information used to drive those business decisions.All too often though, the finance and accounting functions are forced to compete with the demands of other business units also looking to fund and leverage data-driven technologies for their own set of problems.As a result, it becomes critical for finance and accounting professionals to become advocates for change, convey the value of finance and accounting digital transformation, and explain how that benefits other business units and process areas.  Without doing so, they risk falling behind on the digital transformation journey while other business units and even industry competitors get well underway.Many data-driven technologies can be strategically implemented to benefit both finance and accounting and other business units and functional areas as part of an organization’s digital transformation initiative. Here are just a few examples:Digital Transformation benefits both finance and accountingLeveraging data management solutions to integrate systems and consolidate data removes siloed information, improves the flow of data, increases data quality, reduces costs, and promotes standardization.  This benefits everyone, having the effect of improved cross-business unit communication, collaboration, data access, sharing and analysis.Robotic process automation (RPA) has cross-business unit benefits as well.  Through its ability to eliminate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, reduce human error, and work 24/7, RPA technologies, or “bots”, can free up personnel across all functional areas to perform value-added tasks that require a human to think creatively, critically, strategically, and collaboratively.Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solutions for comprehensive reporting, planning, and analytics can take advantage of the improved data management and automated processes by providing any business unit and process area with the data that matters to them.These are just a few examples of how once data-driven technologies like those listed above are implemented, finance and accounting professionals and other business units can collaborate to achieve common goals and objectives.  Furthermore, having these technologies supporting optimized business processes allows finance and accounting teams to act as a value-added resource to the business and ensures that these functions are able to properly scale and support the goals and strategy of an organization as they grow. Some of the end-to-end business process areas, and industries, and technologies we specialize in include:Business Processes:Financial CloseFinancial ReportingFinancial Planning & AnalysisTreasury ManagementMarket to OrderHire to RetireOrder to CashProcure to PayForecast to DeliveryPlan to InventoryFixed AssetsPayrollTechnologies:Reporting, Planning, & AnalyticsAutomation and WorkflowData Management & IntegrationArtificial Intelligence/Machine LearningInfrastructure and CloudCompliance & SecurityIs Your Organization Ready for Digital Transformation?Take our brief Digital Transformation Readiness Quiz to find out!Digital Transformation ResourcesSchneider Downs Digital Transformation ArticlesSchneider Downs Digital Transformation FAQ GuideSchneider Downs Digital Transformation in Finance and AccountingSchneider Downs Digital Transformation Solutions OverviewSchneider Downs Whitepaper: Key Indicators Your Organization Can Benefit From Digital TransformationSchneider Downs Whitepaper: Navigating the Digital Transformation RoadmapAbout Schneider Downs Digital Transformation SolutionsOur solutions identify and implement process and technology enhancements that are scalable and enable improved data reliability, productivity and timely reporting and analysis. Through our cross-functional team of risk and technology professionals, we provide insights and assistance in improving the foundational business processes of an organization, and identify and implement technology to further automate and support critical business processes.For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit our Digital Transformation page at www.schneiderdowns.com/digital-transformation.  Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Contact We want to hear from you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? * Email Phone How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Resources Cybersecurity Resources Take advantage of our resources, including case studies, news and expert thought leadership, to stay apprised of current cybersecurity trends. To view the entire Our Thoughts On cybersecurity blog catalog visit our archive. Category All Case Studies Quick References White Papers Videos Service Overviews Our Thoughts On Events Events Webinar: How to Secure Student Records and Comply with GLBA Quick References Article - Security Info Watch - Lincoln College Closure a Testament to the Threat Posed by Ransomware David Murphy discusses the importance of having a good disaster recovery plan and the investment in vulnerability management tools in an article with Security Info Watch regarding Lincoln College closure. Quick References Article – Financial Planning –Remain on Alert for Russian Financial Cyber Attacks David Murphy provides insight to Financial Planning about the importance of basic cybersecurity practices. Quick References Article - DOE Significantly Expands Definition of Third-Party Servicer in New Guidance to Higher Education Institutions Learn more about the Department of Education recently expanding the definition of Third-Party Servicer in relation to the Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Videos Big Thinking, Personal Focus: Cybersecurity Learn how big thinking and personal focus drive client success. Service Overviews IT Risk Advisory Overview Quick References Guide - CMMC Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about frequently asked questions from authorized resources and professionals regarding cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) engagements. Events Webinar: How to Recover from a Cyberattack, presented by the Chronicle of Higher Education White Papers Securing a Remote Workforce Learn about best practices to secure a remote workforce including critical infrastructure considerations, cyber incident preparation and themed attack mitigation. Quick References Guide - CMMC Preparation Checklist Be better prepared with your Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) engagement using our preparation checklist. Service Overviews Purple Team Assessment Overview Quick References Article - Tech Republic - Security alert: Use these most popular passwords at your peril Cybersecurity Shareholder Carl Kriebel discusses how to strengthen password security with Tech Republic. White Papers Staying Secure From Home Learn about the best practices organizations and individuals can take to mitigate risks in an increasingly remote world. Quick References Guide - Key Changes in PCI DSS V4.0 Learn about key changes in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard v4.0. Quick References Article – Pittsburgh Business Times Cyber-Breached Panel Quick References Article - Secrets Revealed: What Your Third Party Auditors Don’t Want You to Know Learn about the most important considerations to make when working with third-party IT auditors for IT security. Quick References Guide - 7 Best Practices to Keep Your Home Network Safe Learn how to layer and maintain defensive security measures to protect your assets from digital intruders. Quick References Infographic - Types of Personal Data Learn about the different types of personal data targeted by cybercriminals. Quick References Article – Cybersecurity Dive – Banks Face 'Tight Deadline' Under New Cyber Notification Rule David Murphy discusses the FDIC’s Computer-Security Incident Notification Final Rule with Cybersecurity Dive. Events Webinar: Managing Cloud Vendor Risks Service Overviews Penetration Testing Overview Quick References Infographic – Top Ten Data Privacy Trends of 2021 Learn why data continues to be one of the most valued and targeted resources held by organizations and what are our suggestions are to protecting it. Quick References Guide - 10 Must Ask Cybersecurity and Information Security Questions Quick References Infographic – The Most Common Passwords of 2022 View the top ten most commonly used passwords of 2022. Quick References Article – Directors & Boards – Boards and Management Must Work Together to Strengthen Cybersecurity Schneider Downs' Carl Kriebel discusses the importance of management and boards closing communication gaps to strengthen cybersecurity. Quick References Article – WAND – Ransomware, Pandemic Brought Down Lincoln College Events Webinar: Cyber Insurance: 2022 and Beyond Our Thoughts On A First of Its Kind: The $25 Million Deepfake Scam Learn how scammers used a deepfake attack to steal more than $25 million from a multinational firm. White Papers 10 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach Learn about ten key preventive measures companies have overlooked prior to a breach. Case Studies Global Manufacturer Operations Halted By Ransomware Attack Quick References Article – Pittsburgh Business Times – Remote Workforce Security Tips Quick References Article - The IT Nerd - Cyber Thieves Can Wreak Holiday Havoc: How to Avoid these Scams Cybersecurity Shareholder Carl Kriebel discusses three of the most common scams targeting online holiday shoppers this year with The IT Nerd. Quick References Article – CSO Online – What is Your Biggest Insider Threat? David Murphy shares his insights with CSO Online on some of the most problematic insider threats and minimizing their risk. Quick References Guide – Understanding the Security and Privacy Concerns of TikTok Learn what data TikTok users share, with whom that information is being shared and why the platform is considered by many as a security risk. White Papers Top Ten Data Privacy Trends for 2021 Learn what the Top Ten Data Privacy Trends of 2021 are and what you should be doing to prepare. Case Studies Case Study: Company Impacted by Six-Figure Ransomware Attack Quick References Article - How Third Party Risk Management Caters to Your Organization Learn more about what your third-party risk management team does every day to keep your organization safe. Quick References InfoSec Policy Templates Quick References Guide - COVID-19 Fraud Risks Videos Chronicles of a Penetration Tester Lead Cybersecurity Strategist Stephen Bish shares his adventures as a penetration tester. Events Webinar: 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit White Papers 10 Most Common Physical Cybersecurity Threats Learn about some of the top physical cybersecurity threats facing organizations and best practices for mitigating physical security risks. Quick References Infographic – 10 Steps Contractors Can Take to Reduce Cyber Attacks Learn ten key steps contractors can take to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses. Our Thoughts On Fortifying Retail Security: Essential Cybersecurity Tools and Software Explore essential cybersecurity tools and software that are indispensable for securing the retail industry Quick References Guide – Compliance and Third Party Risk Management Quick References Article - Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Ask Me About... How the Shutdown of a Small College Brings Home the Danger of Ransomware David Murphy speaks with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette regarding the recent ransomware attack that shut down Lincoln College. Videos Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2021 Join the Schneider Downs Cybersecurity team as they answer some of the most common questions they have faced in the field from 2021. Quick References Infographic - Top Disguises Used to Breach the Office Service Overviews Third Party Risk Management Services Overview Service Overviews CMMC Service Overview Our Thoughts On Tis the Season: Unwrapping the Top Holiday Scams of 2023 Learn about some of the top online scams circulating this holiday season. White Papers Top Ten Cybersecurity Strategy Mistakes of 2021 Learn about the top cybersecurity strategy mistakes organizations our team has witnessed first-hand and best practices to avoid these common pitfalls. Service Overviews Cybersecurity Services Overview Service Overviews Ransomware Security Overview Service Overviews PCI DSS Service Overview Our Thoughts On Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Explore some of the key takeaways from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day conference. Videos Cybersecurity Tips from Home Series Quick References Article – CNN – US Warns Businesses to Prepare for Russian Cyberattacks. Here's How They Can Do That Schneider Downs' David Murphy discusses cyber insurance and potential Russian cyberattacks. Our Thoughts On Defend Your Dollars and Data: How to Avoid IRS Impersonation Scams Learn more about how to identify and avoid IRS impersonation scams this tax season. Quick References Guide - Automotive Dealerships and the FTC Safeguards Rule Learn about the new compliance requirements outlined by the updated Federal Trade Commission Safeguards Rule for automotive dealerships. Events Webinar: Inside Web Application Penetration Testing Case Studies Employees’ Passwords Compromise Cybersecurity Defenses Videos Why IT compliance strengthens and protects your business Manager of Risk Advisory Services, Timothy Wolfgang, joins the PGH Networks to discuss why IT compliance strengthens and protects your business. Quick References Article – Schneider Downs Named PTC Tech 50 Cybersecurity Innovator of the Year Quick References Article - The Top Ten Most Common SOC 2 Exceptions Learn about the most common SOC 2 exceptions the Schneider Downs team have encountered. White Papers Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment Learn more about the benefits of extending your basic penetration testing using Purple Team assessments to help you improve the organization’s alerting and detection posture. Quick References Article – HowStuffWorks – Have You Been Zoom Bombed? Our Thoughts On 10 Cybersecurity New Year's Resolutions for 2024 Strengthen your cybersecurity defenses in 2024 with these ten tips from the Schneider Downs cybersecurity team. Videos Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022 The Schneider Downs Cybersecurity team shares some of the top questions they have faced from clients in 2022. Quick References Article – WAND – Ransomware, Pandemic Brought Down Lincoln College Sean Thomas discusses the role a ransomware attack played in the permanent closure of Lincoln College. Quick References Infographic – Avoiding COVID-19 Scams Quick References Article – VentureBeat – Why the U.S. Can Engage Russia on Cyber Over Ukraine Schneider Downs' David Murphy provides insight on how the issues in Ukraine create implications in US/Russian relations. Quick References Article - Proposed Interagency Guidance on Third-Party Risk Management Learn about the new jointly proposed guidance on Third Party Risk Management from the OCC, FDIC and Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Quick References Article – Pittsburgh Business Times – Carl Kriebel Joins Schneider Downs Carl Kriebel joined Schneider Downs & Co. Inc. as a shareholder and is based at its downtown headquarters. Our Thoughts On Squish the Quish – Stop and Think Before You Access a QR Code Learn more about QR code phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from this rising threat. White Papers Maximizing the Value of Penetration Testing Learn about penetration testing including our methodologies, and best practices to help your organization maximize the value of this assessment tool. Quick References Article – S&P Global – Small Banks Could Face Challenges With 36-Hour Cyber Reporting Rule David Murphy discusses why smaller banks may struggle with the FDIC 26-hour cyber reporting rule. Service Overviews Digital Forensics & Incident Response Overview Quick References Article - Government Technology - Cyber Analyst Q&A: Security Lessons from Lincoln College David Murphy discusses cyber attack vulnerabilities and what colleges can do to mitigate them. Our Thoughts On Ensuring Network Security in the Retail Industry: A Crucial Imperative Learn more about the need for robust network security in the retail industry and discover effective strategies for enhancing it. Quick References Article - Shared Assessment SIG Questionnaire – What’s New for 2023? Learn about some of the key changes to the Shared Assessments 2023 Standardized Information Gathering (SIG) Questionnaire. Quick References Article – Search Security – Cyber Insurance Premiums Skyrocket Schneider Downs' Stephen Bish discusses Cyber insurance premiums with TechTarget, as costs skyrocket due to attacks surge. White Papers 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit Get inside the mind of a hacker to learn about underlying circumstances leading to breaches and best practices to mitigate these risks. Quick References Guide – Qualifying for Cyber Insurance in 2022 Learn about key requirements and considerations to qualify for cyber insurance. Our Thoughts On Comcast Xfinity Breach Impacts Nearly 36 Million Customers Learn more about the Comcast Xfinity breach that exposed login credentials of 35.8 million customers. Quick References Article - WTAE-TV ABC 4 - How to protect yourself from online shopping scams Cybersecurity Shareholder Carl Kriebel sits down with WTAE-ABC Pittsburgh to discuss some of the most popular scams targeting holiday shoppers and how to avoid them. Events Webinar: Benefits of a Purple Team Assessment White Papers Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Guide Learn about CMMC, including a deep-dive into the certificate framework, the certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization.   ### Cybersecurity Meet Our Team Meet Our TeamSchneider Downs' seasoned team of network security and application configuration specialists, implementation consultants and certified information system auditors bring a breadth and depth of expertise in helping organizations to defend themselves in a sophisticated climate of cyber-attacks. Carl Kriebel CISSP Shareholder Learn More > Eric Wright CPA, CITP Shareholder Learn More > Eric Fair CISA, CDPSE, CBCLA Shareholder Learn More > William Deller Shareholder Learn More > Joe Vandermark Shareholder CYBERSECURITY CONSULTING Clay A. Penrose Cybersecurity Technical Services David B. Murphy Cybersecurity Technical Services Haley Waring Cybersecurity Technical Services Roger Spears Cybersecurity Technical Services Stephen Bish Cybersecurity Technical Services Taylor McCullough Cybersecurity Technical Services Tyler Yoder Cybersecurity Technical Services IT RISK ADVISORY SERVICES Anna Young IT Risk Advisory Services Andrew H. Jackson IT Risk Advisory Services Ben Stock IT Risk Advisory Services Breanna Hentosz IT Risk Advisory Services Chloe (Vaught) Burnfin IT Risk Advisory Services Christian Claus IT Risk Advisory Services Colby Porterfield IT Risk Advisory Services Danny White IT Risk Advisory Services David J. Snyder IT Risk Advisory Services Donald Eckrod III IT Risk Advisory Services Frank E. Dezort III IT Risk Advisory Services Han Jumashov IT Risk Advisory Services Jacob D. Katz IT Risk Advisory Services James Preamble IT Risk Advisory Services Jessica A. Chin IT Risk Advisory Services Karl Bixler IT Risk Advisory Services Lizzie Sklodowski IT Risk Advisory Services Mark Riley, CISA IT Risk Advisory Services Michael Sinkevich IT Risk Advisory Services Mike Lorditch IT Risk Advisory Services Nathan Shepler IT Risk Advisory Services Nicholas Deluca IT Risk Advisory Services Patrick M. Kelly IT Risk Advisory Services Sean P. Fogarty IT Risk Advisory Services Timothy M. Wolfgang IT Risk Advisory Services Trudie Kozar IT Risk Advisory Services ### Sophos Sophos Intercept X delivers maximum end-to-end endpoint protection solutions to safeguard organizations of all sizes. Sophos Intercept X delivers unmatched protection against unknown malware, exploits and ransomware by combining cutting-edge technologies like deep learning and endpoint detection and response. End-to-End Endpoint Protection Rather than simply relying on one primary security procedure, Sophos Intercept X employs a comprehensive defense-in-depth approach to endpoint protection and combines leading foundational and modern techniques. Intercept X integrates the industry’s top-rated malware detection and exploit protection with built-in endpoint detection and response (EDR). Harness the power of a deep-learning neural network The artificial intelligence built into the Intercept X deep-learning neural network, an advanced form of machine learning that detects both known and unknown malware without relying on signatures, drives threat prevention to new levels. Deep learning makes Intercept X smarter, more scalable and higher-performing than endpoint security solutions that use traditional machine learning or signature-based detection alone. Exploit Prevention Intercept X denies attackers by blocking the exploits and techniques used to distribute malware, steal credentials and escape detection. This allows Sophos to ward off evasive hackers and zero-day attacks in your network. START WITH THE STRONGEST PROTECTION: Consolidate protection and EDR into a single solution ADD EXPERTISE, NOT HEADCOUNT: Built-in machine learning and threat intelligence from SophosLabs GUIDED INCIDENT RESPONSE: Understand your security posture and respond with a simple click With Intercept X Advanced with EDR, you can now understand the scope and impact of security incidents, detect attacks that may have gone unnoticed, analyze files to determine if they are a threat, and confidently report on your organization’s security posture at any given moment. Malware Cleanup While most virus cleaners simply remove offending malware files, Sophos Clean provides forensic-level remediation by eradicating malicious code, as well as eliminating nasty registry key changes created by malware. Synchronized Security Synchronized Security simplifies and unifies defenses with real-time intelligence sharing between your endpoints and firewall. You get better protection against advanced threats and spend less time responding to incidents. Automatically isolate infected computers Instantly clean up malware 100% visibility of all apps on your network Schneider Downs can help with your implementation of Sophos. CONTACT US About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Redlure A customizable and scalable phishing assessment platform built by red teamers for red teamers. Redlure is an open-source phishing platform from Schneider Downs designed to be a feature-rich solution for red teamers and penetration testers. The application uses a distributed model that grants one interface access to multiple campaigns running on different servers and domains simultaneously. It provides a robust campaign creation platform with custom email templates, linked landing pages and payload integration to emulate real-world scenarios. If you are interested in Redlure, please contact us for more information. Please note this is currently in Alpha testing. Schneider Downs Redlure Demo https://vimeo.com/444310257/fd5a0e7b5b How Redlure Works Features and Benefits Encryption Redlure encrypts sensitive information stored in its database, like SMTP passwords and user-submitted form data. Scalability Add as many Redlure workers as your organization or team needs. Central Interface Manage multiple phishing servers, generate LetsEncrypt certificates and switch domains from a single interface. Chain Landing Pages Link pages to emulate user login experiences for common sites, including email access and cloud or company portals. Payload Phishing Easily integrate payloads with campaigns to track downloads. Sortable Workspace Organize campaigns, templates and results by client or engagement. Sample Campaign Ready to get started? Contact our team for more information. ### Mimecast Mimecast cyber resilience provides email cloud services for security, archiving, and continuity. Protect your email system without compromise. Cybersecurity researchers attribute 9 out of every 10 security breaches to some form of human error. More than three quarters of those errors are traced back to phishing. Each crime stemming from one of these breaches is the product of an uneven playing field between attackers who launch increasingly sophisticated phishing campaigns and employees who lack the proper software solutions to help them make safe decisions. Mimecast Email Security and Awareness Training solutions take that advantage away from cyber criminals. Email Security Mimecast is a cloud-based secure email gateway. It gives organizations t the advantages of shared analytics to identify evolving threats and the simplicity of a single management console, while using a multi-tenant infrastructure to maintain segregation of organizational data. The platform offers four key functions as part of its Targeted Threat Protection component: URL Protect rewrites links found in inbound email and performs real-time scanning every time an employee attempts to navigate to the linked website. Attachment Protect performs a multi-stage scan of incoming attachments, looking at signatures, static analysis, and sandbox behavior. Impersonation Protect analyzes received email to identify potential business email compromise and impersonation attacks, which imitate trusted senders. Internal Email Protect limits the spread of email-based attacks by extending Mimecast’s analytics to internal and outbound email. In addition to Targeted Threat Protection, Mimecast offers Data Leak Protection & Content Control to reduce the likelihood of loss of intellectual property, customer data, or other sensitive information through email. Expanded email security features include Mailbox Continuity, Sync & Recover, Large File Send, and Secure Messaging, which can be added to any Mimecast subscription. Awareness Training Behind even the best security defenses are employees who need to understand how to make decisions that keep the organization safe. Computer-based awareness training has traditionally been boring, limited in scope, or cost-prohibitive for small and medium-sized businesses. Mimecast Awareness Training uses short, engaging lessons laced with humor to keep employees abreast of real techniques used by attackers. The platform reinforces positive security behaviors and helps identify employees most in need of direct follow-up. Schneider Downs can help with your implementation of Mimecast or answer your questions about Mimecast technical features and employee awareness training. Schneider Downs can help with your implementation of mimecast. CONTACT US About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Guardicore The Guardicore Centra Security Platform is the simplest and most effective way to visualize and secure your datacenter, cloud or hybrid cloud infrastructure. The Guardicore Centra Security Platform makes visualizing and securing on-premises and cloud workloads fast and simple. It creates human-readable views of your complete infrastructure from the datacenter to the cloud, with fast and intuitive workflows for segmentation policy creation. The platform helps you: REDUCE COMPLEXITY: The infrastructure-agnostic approach works consistently across any environment, platform or operating system. REDUCE RISK: Granular segmentation policies prevent lateral movement within your datacenter and cloud environments. INNOVATE FASTER: Integrating security into DevOps and IT automation workflows without creating obstacles or requiring application changes. Guardicore Centra Features and Benefits VISIBILITY: Automatically discovers applications and flows, including process-to-process communications, and creates contextual maps that make understanding activity and creating policies simple. APPLICATION DEPENDENCY MAPPING: Correlates network- and process-level activity and shows you how applications communicate with and depend on other IT resources. SEGMENTATION POLICIES: Easily creates granular segmentation policies that work seamlessly across any platform, operating system or environment. THREAT DETECTION & RESPONSE: Combines policy-based detection, reputation analysis and dynamic deception techniques to quickly detect threats and provide actionable intelligence. FILE INTEGRITY MONITORING: Baselines your sensitive files using cryptographic checksums and detects changes that indicate possible tampering or misconfiguration. Schneider Downs can help with your implementation of Guardicore. CONTACT US About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Carbon Black Carbon Black and the CB Predictive Security Cloud are transforming endpoint security, supporting a number of services that deliver next generation endpoint protection and operations with big data and analytics. Carbon Black CB Defense Antivirus (AV) has been accepted as part of any strong cybersecurity regimen since the early days of endpoint computing. But if your organization has taken a set it and forget it's approach to AV, you could be at much greater risk for malware infection than you know. The industry-leading CB Defense from Carbon Black replaces legacy AV solutions with its next-generation antivirus (NGAV) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) functionalities. Next-Generation Antivirus (NGAV) Traditional AV protection relies on unique file signatures, essentially just comparing each executable, attachment and web download to a list of known malware. Attackers have found that they can easily sidestep this type of solution by obfuscating their malicious code or by deploying fileless malware via Windows PowerShell or VBScript embedded in Office documents. These approaches either result in a new signature that the antivirus protection does not recognize as malicious or avoid antivirus scanning entirely by hiding in the endpoint runtime memory, or RAM. CB Defense scans not only the files and executables on an endpoint, but also monitors for suspicious activity such as commands and scripts commonly used to launch an attack. By leveraging the CB Predictive Security Cloud, CB Defense can detect not only the same known attacks as traditional AV, but also unknown attacks that bypass signature-based filters. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Visibility into the events occurring on endpoint devices has historically been achieved via a combination of desktop-based agents and network-level monitoring. This approach can leave unseen gaps in coverage that allow attackers to penetrate an internal network undetected. Further, network-based monitoring tools offer no insight into or control over endpoints residing outside of the organizational network, such as [list common endpoints here]. These vulnerable endpoints are a growing blind spot for companies with a mobile workforce. CB Defense offers unprecedented insight into activity occurring on endpoint devices. Managed from a single, cloud-based console, CB Defense requires no on-premises infrastructure and gathers event data from endpoints even outside of the traditional local area network (LAN). With the ability to see and respond to suspicious activity wherever it happens, security and IT operations teams can remediate potential security issues more quickly than ever before. Schneider Downs can help with your implementation of Carbon Black CB Defense. CONTACT US About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, at www.schneiderdowns.com/subscribe. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Cybersecurity Resources   Resource Library Our Thoughts On View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Products Products Schneider Downs' seasoned professionals can work with your team to ensure the cybersecurity products you have in place reflect the needs of your organization. We can also make expert recommendations about products and vendor security services. Carbon Black and the CB Predictive Security Cloud are transforming endpoint security, supporting a number of services that deliver next generation endpoint protection and operations with big data and analytics. Guardicore provides cloud workload protection preventing the spread of breaches inside data center and cloud environments. Mimecast cyber resilience provides email cloud services for security, archiving, and continuity. Protect your email system without compromise. Redlure is an open-source phishing platform from Schneider Downs designed to be a feature-rich solution for red teamers and penetration testers. Sophos Intercept X delivers maximum end-to-end endpoint protection solutions to safeguard organizations of all sizes. View our additional Cybersecurity services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### IT Risk Advisory IT Risk Advisory Evaluate risk management practices, internal control systems, and compliance with regulations and corporate policies. Contact Us Today Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning and Table Top Exercises Learn More > Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Learn More > Data Privacy Services Learn More > FFIEC IT Compliance Assessment Learn More > GDPR Compliance Learn More > HIPAA Compliance Assessment Learn More > HITRUST Learn More > Information Technology Audit Learn More > InfoSec Policy Templates Learn More > IRS Publication 1075 Learn More > ISO 27001 Compliance Assessment Learn More > IT General Controls Audit Learn More > Network Device Security Configuration Assessment Learn More > IT Risk Assessment Services Learn More > Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard Compliance(DSS) Learn More > The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Learn More > SAP Audits and Controls Learn More > SOC Practice Overview Learn More > Third-Party Risk Management Learn More > Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Audits Learn More > Primary Contact: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP A well-planned, properly structured information technology (IT) audit program is essential to evaluate risk management practices, internal control systems, and compliance with regulations and corporate policies. Our IT Risk Advisory practice helps ensure that your organization is risk-focused, promotes sound IT controls, ensures the timely resolution of audit deficiencies, and informs the board of directors of the effectiveness of risk management practices. We recognize that this is often difficult to perform internally as organizations must plan, manage and monitor rapidly changing technologies to enable it to deliver and support new products, services, and delivery channels to remain competitive in their marketplace. However, this rate of change, and the resulting increased reliance on technology, makes the inclusion of IT audit coverage essential to an effective organization. Schneider Downs’ IT Risk Advisory professionals help organizations gain valuable insights into their processes and technologies. Our dedicated IT Risk Advisory professionals have experience working with a wide variety of industries and companies of all sizes. We will partner with you to provide comprehensive IT audits and compliance reviews that will ensure your organization has effective and efficient technology controls that better align the technology function with their business and risk strategies. IT Risk Advisory Services Overview View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities LEARN MORE CONTACT US ### Additional Cybersecurity Services Cybersecurity Services Contact Us Today Amazon Web Services Security Assessment Learn More Cyber Speaker Series Learn More Digital Forensics & Incident Response Learn More Enterprise Information Security Program Review & Consultation Learn More External Footprint Analysis Learn More Firewall Configuration Review Learn More Forensic Analysis Learn More Incident Response Plan Development, Testing, & Training Learn More Indicator of Compromise Assessment Learn More Information Security Program Maturity Assessments Learn More Intrusion Prevention / Detection Review Learn More Network Device Security Configuration Assessment Learn More Penetration Testing Learn More Phishing Simulation Exercises Learn More Purple Team Assessments Learn More Ransomware Security Service Learn More Recovery & Remediation Learn More Vulnerability Assessment Learn More Web Application Penetration Testing Learn More PRIMARY CONTACT: Carl N. Kriebel CISSPThreats to your IT environment can come from virtually anywhere at any time. Anticipating risk means thinking like those who would benefit from your vulnerability and protecting you with a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity.Cybersecurity Services Overview View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Ask a Question Ask a Question "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Schneider Downs Subscriptions Schneider Downs Subscriptions Receive Expert Insights from Schneider Downs. Manage subscription preferences Follow Us and Join the Conversation Facebook X-twitter Linkedin Youtube ### Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors Announces Plans for Leadership Transition Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors Announces Plans for Leadership TransitionDerek J. Eichelberger to serve as Chief Executive Officer for $2.3 Billion AUM PracticePITTSBURGH – Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors (SDWMA), a Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, announced that Derek J. Eichelberger, CFA, CFP®, AIFA®, MBA will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective October 1. Mr. Eichelberger joined SDWMA in 2015 and has most recently served as Managing Partner of the wealth management firm.  He is also a shareholder at Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.Mr. Eichelberger has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, and he has a lengthy history of advising high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments and retirement plans. He is a valued mentor to advisors and staff on the team, and he also serves on the Operating Committee for Schneider Downs & Co., the parent company of the wealth management practice.Mr. Eichelberger will transition into the role, replacing current CEO Nancy L. Skeans, CPA, CFP® MBA. Ms. Skeans, also celebrating her 20th anniversary at SDWMA, will remain in a leadership role with the practice, focusing primarily on serving existing clients, as well as mentoring SDWMA’s growing team of wealth advisors. She also will remain as the practice’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO).With 26 full-time team members across two offices, Pittsburgh and Columbus, SDWMA is currently managing over $2.3 billion in assets. The firm provides personal investment management, financial planning and qualified retirement services for individuals and companies across the country. In the June 2023 issue of Accounting Today, SDWMA was ranked 21st of 150 “Top Firms by Assets Under Management.” These top 150 firms are wealth advisory firms associated with a CPA firm and are ranked by AUM as of 12/31/2022.“Leadership transitions are a natural component of successful companies,” explained Skeans. “Our team has grown considerably over the last several years, adding three new Wealth Management partners and many talented employees.  Under Derek’s leadership, and with a strong team in place, I know that we are well-positioned to continue our high client service standards and our sustained pattern of growth.” “Nancy is a wonderful friend and confidant, and has been for many years,” said Mr. Eichelberger. “She was absolutely the catalyst in my joining Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, so it’s a special honor to become CEO in succession to her accomplishments. Our playbook is clear – we’ll continue with the same vision, management and service principles that we’ve held for 20 years.” Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### simpLEASE Contact simpLEASE Accounting Lease Accounting Software Built by Accountants for AccountantssimpLEASE FAQsCapabilities Contact Us Interested about simpLEASE or scheduling a demo? Lets talk "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you? * Email Phone How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit About simpLEASENearly every company or organization utilizes lease contracts as part of its day-to-day operations. (ASC) 842 will dramatically alter how companies identify leases on their annual financial statements. For some organizations, this will mean analyzing hundreds – even thousands – of individual lease contacts – a time-consuming and laborious process.simpLEASE is a software program that provides easy-to-understand guidance to analyze each individual lease. The program was developed in conjunction with the accountants at Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest public accounting firms. Schneider Downs has been tracking and anticipating the changes to lease accounting standards for years, and has worked extensively to understand the specifics and intricacies of the standards. Thus, simpLEASE is not only easy to use, but also serves as an extremely insightful and intuitive tool to provide accurate analysis for all lease computations.  Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. ... Read Case Study Solved By Trevor Warren Schneider Downs shareholder since 2001 Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. ... Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261).The climate-focused legislation… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Retirement Plans and IRAs The Internal Revenue Service published 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) in Notice 2023-75 on November 1, 2023.The COLA increases will become… Read More > Think Before You Click: Fake Browser Updates are Back in Style Why are malware-laced fake browser updates having a moment in 2023?The adage “what’s old is new again,” is certainly true in the cyber… Read More > The SEC ‘Names Rule’: Unpacking the Impacts to ESG Funds On September 20th, the SEC finalized its amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act 40”) that addresses the… Read More > Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible2. Ask Us ### simpLEASE Accounting FAQ simpLEASE Accounting FAQ Lease Accounting Software Built by Accountants for Accountants Nearly every company or organization utilizes lease contracts as part of its day-to-day operations. (ASC) 842 will dramatically alter how companies identify leases on their annual financial statements. For some organizations, this will mean analyzing hundreds – even thousands – of individual lease contacts – a time-consuming and laborious process.simpLEASE is a software program that provides easy-to-understand guidance to analyze each individual lease. The program was developed in conjunction with the accountants at Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest public accounting firms. Schneider Downs has been tracking and anticipating the changes to lease accounting standards for years, and has worked extensively to understand the specifics and intricacies of the standards. Thus, simpLEASE is not only easy to use, but also serves as an extremely insightful and intuitive tool to provide accurate analysis for all lease computations.  Lease Accounting FAQs Why was simpLEASE created? On February 25, 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) finalized the standards update related to accounting for leases, ASU 2016-02. The primary goal of ASU 2016-02 is to improve transparency surrounding financial reporting and leased assets. As with most changes to rules like these, there are a number of details that need attention or else issues could arise. Each company is different. Every lease is unique. It became apparent that there was a need for a resource that could simplify the process of identifying how each lease should be classified under the new guidance. Similarly, it also became apparent that this tool should be built on the knowledge of accountants. By integrating the insights of Schneider Downs’ accounting experts with the programming experience of its Technology Advisors team, simpLEASE delivers an easy-to-use software tool to address the challenges presented by the new lease accounting standard. How does simpLEASE work? simpLEASE is a web-based application that uses a series of easy-to-navigate wizards to assist in classifying leases and analyze how they should be accounted for under the new standard. The program provides intuitive prompts to guide the user through the process, whether reviewing 10 leases or 100. The program is built upon SD inSITE, a web-based application developed by Schneider Downs that’s compatible with most any accounting system. Do all leases go on the balance sheet under the new lease accounting standard? With the implementation of the new lease accounting standards, substantially all leases will now go on the balance sheet. This includes both operating and finance (previously referred to as capital) leases. There are, however, certain leases that will be scoped out or may be exempt. Some of these exclusions are leases for inventory, assets under construction, intangible assets or biological assets. There is also an accounting policy election to exclude those leases that have a term of fewer than 12 months and no purchase options, or a renewal period that is reasonably certain to be exercised. Does the new lease accounting standard require me to change how I account for existing leases? Yes, the new lease accounting standards will significantly change how existing leases are accounted for today. There is no grandfathering of previous leases. Upon implementation of the new standards, all leasing arrangements will have to be accounted for under the new guidance. Under the new guidance, what is an operating lease? Under the new lease accounting guidance, from the perspective of a lessee, an operating lease will be anyone that does not meet the definition of a finance lease (see definition of finance lease below). Under the new guidance, what is a finance lease? Under the new lease accounting guidance, from the perspective of a lessee, a finance lease (previously referred to as a capital lease) is one that meets one or more of the criteria below:The lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee by the end of the lease term.The lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise.The lease term is for the major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset.The present value of the sum of the lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the underlying asset.The underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease term. When does my company need to implement the new lease accounting guidance?  Public business entities are required to adopt ASU 2016-02 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years (i.e. calendar year 2019), and non-public business entities the following year (i.e. calendar year 2020).  However, the amendments are required to be presented retrospectively to all periods presented in a company’s financial statements, so a company presenting two years of financial information will need to implement the new rules under ASU 2016-02 the year prior to the effective date. I am a small business owner (privately held company) that leases office equipment. Do I need to be concerned with changes in lease accounting? Yes, the scope of ASU 2016-02 does not provide an accounting alternative for privately held companies. I generally only lease equipment for less than 12 months. Does the new lease accounting guidance impact me in any way? A lessee is permitted to adopt an accounting policy by asset class to not recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for leases with terms of 12 months or less, including any renewal periods that are reasonably certain to be exercised.  Leases with initial terms of less than 12 months and have renewal periods that are reasonably certain to be exercised, are required to be accounted for under ASU 2016-02. My company leases land for the exploration of natural resources (e.g. oil and natural gas). Are we impacted by the new lease accounting standard? Certain leases are excluded from the scope of ASU 2016-02, including those initiated to explore for or use minerals, oil, natural gas and similar non-regenerative resources.  These types of leases will continue to be accounted for under Topic 930 Extractive Activities-Mining and 932 Extractive Activities-Oil and Gas.  Leases of intangible assets, biological assets and assets under construction are also excluded from the scope of ASU 2016-02. Does the new lease accounting standard impact real estate leases? Yes.  There is very little that is scoped out of the new lease accounting standards. Leases involving property/buildings, property improvements and real estate are all covered under the new standards. Will the lease accounting changes impact my bottom line? We anticipate very little, if any, impact on the bottom line / net income as a result of the accounting changes. However, we do anticipate there could be additional costs associated with preparing for the implementation by organizations that have significant leases. Those costs could include, but not be limited to additional internal staffing / resources and lease accounting software, as well as outside consultants to assist with the implementation. Will the lease accounting changes impact my taxes? We don’t anticipate an effect on net taxes. Is my data safe in simpLEASE Accounting (simpLEASE)? Yes, all your data is encrypted from the moment it’s entered into the system (this includes uploaded documents). Can work be distributed among users using simpLEASE? Yes, simpLEASE has a built-in workflow that allows users to enter lease data, which is then reviewed and approved before it is sent to your accounting system.  Multiple users can be entering and reviewing leases simultaneously. Can simpLEASE interface with my current accounting system? Yes, simpLEASE can provide data in a wide array of formats for easy import into most accounting systems.  simpLEASE can also capture data electronically from your accounting system that can be used for validation and exporting. Can simpLEASE help me track my leases in any way? In addition to storing active lease specifications based on the new accounting standards, simpLEASE can track a wide variety of details about each lease.  With an unlimited number of user-defined fields, you can track each lease and associated relevant data.  Payments, estimated taxes and due dates can be tracked for each lease.  Can I store lease agreements and other documents associated with the lease in the system? Yes, simpLEASE allows for an unlimited number of uploaded documents for each lease.  The system has a definable data retention period that can automatically purge data as per your document retention policy. Can I use simpLEASE to ensure there are internal controls over lease accounting? Yes, simpLEASE can help you ensure that your leases are accounted for in accordance with the guidance. Where is my data housed in simpLEASE, and is there a SOC report available? Data is housed at a third-party service organization’s data center, which does have a SOC report covering controls.  Additionally, there is a SOC report covering the simpLEASE application. On February 25, 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) finalized the standards update related to accounting for leases, ASU 2016-02. The primary goal of ASU 2016-02 is to improve transparency surrounding financial reporting and leased assets. As with most changes to rules like these, there are a number of details that need attention or else issues could arise. Each company is different. Every lease is unique. It became apparent that there was a need for a resource that could simplify the process of identifying how each lease should be classified under the new guidance. Similarly, it also became apparent that this tool should be built on the knowledge of accountants. By integrating the insights of Schneider Downs’ accounting experts with the programming experience of its Technology Advisors team, simpLEASE delivers an easy-to-use software tool to address the challenges presented by the new lease accounting standard.simpLEASE is a web-based application that uses a series of easy-to-navigate wizards to assist in classifying leases and analyze how they should be accounted for under the new standard. The program provides intuitive prompts to guide the user through the process, whether reviewing 10 leases or 100. The program is built upon SD inSITE, a web-based application developed by Schneider Downs that’s compatible with most any accounting system.With the implementation of the new lease accounting standards, substantially all leases will now go on the balance sheet. This includes both operating and finance (previously referred to as capital) leases. There are, however, certain leases that will be scoped out or may be exempt. Some of these exclusions are leases for inventory, assets under construction, intangible assets or biological assets. There is also an accounting policy election to exclude those leases that have a term of fewer than 12 months and no purchase options, or a renewal period that is reasonably certain to be exercised.Yes, the new lease accounting standards will significantly change how existing leases are accounted for today. There is no grandfathering of previous leases. Upon implementation of the new standards, all leasing arrangements will have to be accounted for under the new guidance.Under the new lease accounting guidance, from the perspective of a lessee, an operating lease will be anyone that does not meet the definition of a finance lease (see definition of finance lease below).Under the new lease accounting guidance, from the perspective of a lessee, a finance lease (previously referred to as a capital lease) is one that meets one or more of the criteria below:The lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee by the end of the lease term.The lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise.The lease term is for the major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset.The present value of the sum of the lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the underlying asset.The underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease term.Public business entities are required to adopt ASU 2016-02 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years (i.e. calendar year 2019), and non-public business entities the following year (i.e. calendar year 2020).  However, the amendments are required to be presented retrospectively to all periods presented in a company’s financial statements, so a company presenting two years of financial information will need to implement the new rules under ASU 2016-02 the year prior to the effective date.Yes, the scope of ASU 2016-02 does not provide an accounting alternative for privately held companies.A lessee is permitted to adopt an accounting policy by asset class to not recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for leases with terms of 12 months or less, including any renewal periods that are reasonably certain to be exercised.  Leases with initial terms of less than 12 months and have renewal periods that are reasonably certain to be exercised, are required to be accounted for under ASU 2016-02.Certain leases are excluded from the scope of ASU 2016-02, including those initiated to explore for or use minerals, oil, natural gas and similar non-regenerative resources.  These types of leases will continue to be accounted for under Topic 930 Extractive Activities-Mining and 932 Extractive Activities-Oil and Gas.  Leases of intangible assets, biological assets and assets under construction are also excluded from the scope of ASU 2016-02.Yes.  There is very little that is scoped out of the new lease accounting standards. Leases involving property/buildings, property improvements and real estate are all covered under the new standards.We anticipate very little, if any, impact on the bottom line / net income as a result of the accounting changes. However, we do anticipate there could be additional costs associated with preparing for the implementation by organizations that have significant leases. Those costs could include, but not be limited to additional internal staffing / resources and lease accounting software, as well as outside consultants to assist with the implementation.We don’t anticipate an effect on net taxes.Yes, all your data is encrypted from the moment it’s entered into the system (this includes uploaded documents).Yes, simpLEASE has a built-in workflow that allows users to enter lease data, which is then reviewed and approved before it is sent to your accounting system.  Multiple users can be entering and reviewing leases simultaneously.Yes, simpLEASE can provide data in a wide array of formats for easy import into most accounting systems.  simpLEASE can also capture data electronically from your accounting system that can be used for validation and exporting.In addition to storing active lease specifications based on the new accounting standards, simpLEASE can track a wide variety of details about each lease.  With an unlimited number of user-defined fields, you can track each lease and associated relevant data.  Payments, estimated taxes and due dates can be tracked for each lease. Yes, simpLEASE allows for an unlimited number of uploaded documents for each lease.  The system has a definable data retention period that can automatically purge data as per your document retention policy.Yes, simpLEASE can help you ensure that your leases are accounted for in accordance with the guidance.Data is housed at a third-party service organization’s data center, which does have a SOC report covering controls.  Additionally, there is a SOC report covering the simpLEASE application. simpLEASE ResourcessimpLEASE HomepagesimpLEASE Software OverviewsimpLEASE Security Overview OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding Donated Space Under Accounting Standards Codification 842 Accounting for leases has undergone significant changes with the introduction of Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) 842. Under ASC 842, right-of-use… Read More > Understanding Leases In Technology Arrangements There are many complex transaction rules impacting technology companies, including Topic 842: Lease Accounting, which could have a significant impact… Read More > Six Common Lease Accounting Adoption Mistakes... and How to Avoid Them What are some of the most common mistakes organizations make when adopting the ASC 842 lease accounting standard? Over the… Read More > Lease Accounting – Top Industry Considerations and Challenges of 2023 What are the top industry challenges organizations face when meeting the ASC 842 lease accounting deadline? Upon the initial release… Read More > Changes to Accounting for Leases Under Common Control On February 15, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) voted to issue an amendment to accounting rules for leases between… Read More > Lease Accounting in the Deal You’ve heard it before, “Every deal is different,” and that’s no different when it comes to companies reporting their lease… Read More > Adoption Requirements for ASC Topic 842, Where Are Your Embedded Leases Hiding? As the deadline for private and not-for-profit entities to adopt the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)… Read More > FASB ASC Topic 842 Leases – Contract Modifications After all the diligent work to assemble your “day-one” accounting for leases under the new lease accounting standard (Topic 842),… Read More > ASC 842, Leases – ASU 2021-09 Provides Additional Guidance on Use of Risk-Free Rate and Required Disclosures for Non-Public Entities As the deadline to implement the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842 quickly approaches for… Read More > Lease Accounting Guidelines for the Trucking Industry Schneider Downs, in partnership with the Ohio Trucking Association, is pleased to announce the release of the second installment in… Read More > It's The Final Countdown: ASC-842 Join the Schneider Downs simpLEASE team for our "Lease Accounting: The Final Countdown to ASC 842" webinar on August 19th… Read More > ASC 842, Leases – Proposed Discount Rate Updates for Non-Public Entities The advent of ASC 842 on leases brought with it considerable changes to the way companies accounted for leases. On… Read More > Warping Through ASC Topic 842: Practical Expedients Available to Lessees Whenever practical expedients are mentioned in casual conversation, my mind typically runs straight to Super Mario Brothers. Not the Goombas… Read More > IFRS 16, Leases - Lessee Perspective Organizations considering a conversion to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) should… Read More > Impact of Variable Lease Payments Under ASC 842 In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standard Update (ASU) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This standard… Read More > Managing Leases Under ASC 842 with Excel – Does It Make Sense for Your Organization? You have gone to some CPE and read up on how ASC 842 impacts your organization, now it’s time to… Read More > Fraud Considerations for Lessees and Lessors The main driver behind the FASB’s issuance of the new lease standard (Topic 842) is to increase transparency within organizations… Read More > Top 5 Implementation Lessons Learned Under ASC 842 The deadline for private companies to implement the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842 is… Read More > Key Changes for Lessors Under FASB ASC Topic 842 In June 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-05 and delayed, for a second time, ASU 2016-02, Leases Topic 842 for… Read More > How will ASC Topic 842 Lease Accounting impact your organization’s operations? Over the last few years, we’ve discussed the impact of ASC Topic 842 Lease Accounting on financial statements.  Discounted lease… Read More > ### simpLEASE Accounting simpLEASE Accounting Lease Accounting Software Built by Accountants for Accountants Navigating the complexities of ASC 842 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. simpLEASE is a scalable, web-based solution designed to simplify lease accounting for organizations of any size. Whether you're managing two leases or two thousand, simpLEASE streamlines the process and delivers fast, accurate, and compliant results with less manual effort and greater efficiency. How simpLEASE WorksDeveloped on a step-by-step, wizard-driven interface, simpLEASE guides users through the entire lease accounting process. By responding to a series of intuitive prompts about each lease agreement, users receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to the specific reporting requirements of ASC 842. simpLEASE Capabilities Automates lease data entry by capturing and processing key terms from lease agreements. Classifies leases accurately as either finance (capital) or operating leases based on ASC 842 criteria.Fully compliant with ASU 2016-02, producing schedules for both finance and operating leases. Supports efficient lease portfolio management, including new and existing lease agreements. Integrates with accounting and fixed asset systems to automate journal entries and streamline the creation of right-of-use (ROU) assets. Supports comprehensive multicurrency reporting by automatically converting and consolidating financial data across different currencies, ensuring accuracy in financial statements Calculates present and future values of lease assets and liabilities and generates required amortization schedules. Generates essential reports, including lease listing, amortization schedules, disclosure, liability roll-forward balance reports and future payments.Guides users through intuitive wizards, making complex lease accounting decisions easier.Provides transition support for migrating legacy leases into the new standard.Manages ongoing lease activity, including term changes, renewals, and termination.Includes unlimited UDF’s giving the users the flexibility to create and customize as many fields as they need to capture specific data relevant to their lease management processes. Automates lease data entry by capturing and processing key terms from lease agreements. Classifies leases accurately as either finance (capital) or operating leases based on ASC 842 criteria.Fully compliant with ASU 2016-02, producing schedules for both finance and operating leases. Supports efficient lease portfolio management, including new and existing lease agreements. Integrates with accounting and fixed asset systems to automate journal entries and streamline the creation of right-of-use (ROU) assets. Supports comprehensive multicurrency reporting by automatically converting and consolidating financial data across different currencies, ensuring accuracy in financial statements Calculates present and future values of lease assets and liabilities and generates required amortization schedules. Generates essential reports, including lease listing, amortization schedules, disclosure, liability roll-forward balance reports and future payments.Guides users through intuitive wizards, making complex lease accounting decisions easier.Provides transition support for migrating legacy leases into the new standard.Manages ongoing lease activity, including term changes, renewals, and termination.Includes unlimited UDF’s giving the users the flexibility to create and customize as many fields as they need to capture specific data relevant to their lease management processes.https://vimeo.com/519223042 Features and Benefits: Web-Based Access -Available 24/7 from any location, no IT setup or installation required.Centralized Lease Tracking - Securely stores all lease data and related documents in one place.Intelligent Workflow - Built-in review process ensures data accuracy before financial impact, with a complete audit trail.Informative Alerts - Automated notifications for approvals and key lease milestones help keep you on schedule.Comprehensive Reporting - Generates month and year-end reports that comply with ASC 842 standards, which are easily exportable to Excel.Real-Time Dashboard - Offers a user-friendly dashboard with high-level insights at a glance.Multi-Company Support - Manage multiple entities with a flexible setup for asset classes, ground leases, and securities.Flexible Pricing Model - Price is determined by the number of leases and entities, with unlimited users and comprehensive support included. Interested about simpLEASE or scheduling a demo? Let's talk! simpLEASE ResourcessimpLEASE FAQsimpLEASE Software OverviewsimpLEASE Security Overview5 Common Lease Accounting Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemReal-World Lease Account Errors (And How to Avoid Them) Video SeriesAbout simpLEASENearly every company or organization relies on lease contracts as part of its daily operations. ASC 842 has significantly changed how companies report leases on their annual financial statements.  simpLEASE is a software program designed to provide easy-to-understand guidance for recording each individual lease. Developed in collaboration with the accountants at Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest public accounting firms, simpLEASE benefits from years of expertise in tracking and anticipating changes to lease accounting standards. Schneider Downs has worked extensively to understand the specifics and intricacies of these standards. As a result, simpLEASE is not only user-friendly but also serves as an insightful and intuitive tool for accurate lease computations.  Ready to Get Started? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding Donated Space Under Accounting Standards Codification 842 Accounting for leases has undergone significant changes with the introduction of Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) 842. Under ASC 842, right-of-use… Read More > Understanding Leases In Technology Arrangements There are many complex transaction rules impacting technology companies, including Topic 842: Lease Accounting, which could have a significant impact… Read More > Six Common Lease Accounting Adoption Mistakes... and How to Avoid Them What are some of the most common mistakes organizations make when adopting the ASC 842 lease accounting standard? Over the… Read More > Lease Accounting – Top Industry Considerations and Challenges of 2023 What are the top industry challenges organizations face when meeting the ASC 842 lease accounting deadline? Upon the initial release… Read More > Changes to Accounting for Leases Under Common Control On February 15, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) voted to issue an amendment to accounting rules for leases between… Read More > Lease Accounting in the Deal You’ve heard it before, “Every deal is different,” and that’s no different when it comes to companies reporting their lease… Read More > Adoption Requirements for ASC Topic 842, Where Are Your Embedded Leases Hiding? As the deadline for private and not-for-profit entities to adopt the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)… Read More > FASB ASC Topic 842 Leases – Contract Modifications After all the diligent work to assemble your “day-one” accounting for leases under the new lease accounting standard (Topic 842),… Read More > ASC 842, Leases – ASU 2021-09 Provides Additional Guidance on Use of Risk-Free Rate and Required Disclosures for Non-Public Entities As the deadline to implement the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842 quickly approaches for… Read More > Lease Accounting Guidelines for the Trucking Industry Schneider Downs, in partnership with the Ohio Trucking Association, is pleased to announce the release of the second installment in… Read More > ### Performance Evaluation Grid (PEG) Performance Evaluation Grid (PEG) How do your employees’ self-assessments compare to management’s view?The Performance Evaluation Grid (PEG) is a proprietary, web-based program developed by Schneider Downs built as a part of SD inSITE. PEG was developed after we saw a need to build upon our current shareholder/manager evaluation process.Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-UnderstandPEG was designed to provide an easy-to-use, and time-efficient, manner of processing what can be a very detailed process. By standardizing the leadership traits being evaluated, all individuals receive an “apples-to-apples” analysis of their performance.All evaluations are conducted online on a secure server, and can be completed by all participants at their convenience. The interface is user-friendly and can quickly be utilized without significant training or instruction. The approach is very similar to taking an online survey or questionnaire.Evaluation OptionsPerformance Evaluation Grid (PEG), Schneider DownsFor more information, please contact Jason Reljac at 412-697-5483. ### SD inSITE Modules SD inSITE Modules Employee Time Collection Overview IS COLLECTING EMPLOYEE TIME SHEETS MORE OF A HASSLE THAN IT SHOULD BE? SD inSITE offers a variety of different methods of payroll time sheet reporting that allows you to provide your staff with the simplest and most effective method of time collection possible. Options as simple as collecting just the date and number of hours to collecting comprehensive project based details inSITE has a time collection screen that best suites your organizational needs (and your users’ abilities). The right time entry interface for your employees makes all the difference in the world, but it is not the only consideration. Providing an easy to use interface helps eliminate the age old adage of “Garbage In = Garbage Out”. Centralized administration of work codes and projects ensure that your staff has access to only what they need; no more, no less. Eliminating confusion increases the accuracy of time entry, which means less time required to verify the data before it goes to your payroll or accounting system. Using inSITE for project based time collection also allows for the automatic distribution of labor hours across various projects eliminating the need for time consuming time allocation procedures. VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO Employee Expenses Overview ARE EMPLOYEE EXPENSES COSTING YOU TOO MUCH TIME? As with time entry, employee expense entry can be more difficult than it needs to be for your staff, supervisors and accounting personnel. With a multitude of codes to remember, changing mileage rates and late or missing receipts, getting employee expenses recorded and approved can be a nightmare. SD inSITE is based upon the premise to keep all steps in the process simple. We build upon of the idea of easy to use employee inputs, smooth interfaces and centralized management to provide a simple, yet effective, expense entry and approval process that your staff will embrace. SD inSITE can use either electronic or paper receipts to match the needs of your organization. Employee mileage reimbursements for mileage are based on the date an expense was incurred (not when it was entered submitted). SD inSITE also allows for the use of the same set of project codes used in time entry to make expense entries in SD inSITE. This allows for the consistent allocation of expenses across the appropriate cost codes. VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO Document Portal Overview IS IT DIFFICULT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION TO SHARE IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS? While the Internet provides a new level of connectivity it also opens the doors to a host of new security concerns. One of those concerns is the distribution of sensitive documents. While E-Mail gets things to the right people quickly it also opens up the door for loss of control. SD inSITE can provide you with a new level of security when it comes to the distribution of documents across the Internet. The Document Portal in SD inSITE allows for the secure distribution of sensitive and important documents. The document portal allows for the distribution of documents to specific users or groups of users and includes functionality for tracking document usage and making sure documents are not available before or after you require them to be. You can reduce the time it takes to distribute information and improve the level of security surrounding sensitive documents. VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO inSITE Performace Review Overview ARE EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS A MOUNTAIN OF PAPERWORK? Employee evaluations are important; and you should treat them as such. Traditional evaluation systems create mountains of paper that get manually distributed to the organization. The review and approval process can be cumbersome and time consuming. SD inSITE helps reorganize and re-optimize the evaluation process by leveraging both the workflow created for time and expense approval and the easy to use SD inSITE interface. SD inSITE offers personal and supervisor evaluations, peer evaluations and project-based evaluations that allow for internal and external responses. All evaluation information is kept in SD inSITE where it can be reviewed at a later time or simply kept on file for historical purposes. VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261). The climate-focused… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Retirement Plans and IRAs The Internal Revenue Service published 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) in Notice 2023-75 on November 1, 2023.The COLA increases will become… Read More > The SEC ‘Names Rule’: Unpacking the Impacts to ESG Funds On September 20th, the SEC finalized its amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act 40”) that addresses the… Read More > ### SD inSITE SD inSITE by SD Digital is an employee time-tracking software using a secure, web-based application to streamline reporting time and effort. By reducing administrative burdens and improving data accuracy, SD inSITE helps you achieve greater productivity and financial control. Built-in utilities allow for direct export of your critical data at any time to interface with your accounting software, payroll software, or a third-party payroll processor.Key Features & Benefits:If your organization struggles with time and effort reporting, SD inSITE can streamline the process, present appropriate options to your staff using terms they understand and provide insight into effort for staff, supervisors, budget managers, accounting departments and management.Staying InformedSD inSITE Stay Informed is comprised of SafeTrack and PolicyTrack, which can be used together, or independently of each other, to keep your employees well informed of policies and mitigate health risks in order to keep your organization, clients and vendors safe.SafeTrack allows organizations to collect, track and securely store health and contact tracing data from employees on a daily basis. PolicyTrack enables organizations to ensure employee policies are reviewed, signed and tracked in an automated and paperless manner. Download the SD inSITE Stay Informed overview to learn more.Time EntrySD inSITE gives supervisors and administrators a clear view into the amount of time being worked in a given pay period, allowing them to guard against excessive overtime charges. The daily time entry feature offers managers the ability to forecast anticipated overtime based on hours worked to date and has a built-in overtime feature, which allows employees to request time in advance to prevent any surprises. You can also track government lobbying activities to assist in keeping track of registration requirements every quarter. View a demo to learn more.Expense EntryIndividuals can submit work-related expenses with attachments from emails and scanned images from their phones. SD inSITE allows these expenses to be approved online from anywhere and can be exported to payroll, accounts payable and billing systems to eliminate double entry of data.Pay Stubs and Time OffSD inSITE provides a secure system for employees to access pay stub information from any computer and allows users to view current time off balances anytime, in real time. In addition employees are able to request time off from anywhere, and supervisors can approve via email once requests are complete.Document PortalThe portal allows users to view documents and organization-wide calendars, as well as disseminate required forms or questionnaires which can help streamline onboarding and training processes. SD inSITE assures documents are securely stored and transmitted with encrypted connections and shifting to digital document management helps to eliminate postage, shipping and printing costs.IRequestSD inSITE simplifies the purchase-request process by defining the process upfront. The moment a request is made the approver is notified, and the requestor is notified as approvals are being made in real time. Our software consolidates associated documentation, packing slips, invoices, quotes and backup, are stored under the associated request, and can be accessed by the requestor, approver(s) and administrators at any time during, and after, the approval process. In addition SD inSITE can track when items on a request have been purchased, received (and delivered if necessary) by requestors and reported on by approvers and administrators.Pre-existing interfaces have been developed for ADP, Sage 100 ERP, Abila Fund Accounting (formerly Sage Fund Accounting), Sage HRMS, Sage Business Works Gold, Paychex and Ceridian.Combining user-friendly time entry, electronic approval routing, powerful data transformations and simple to use budget tools, SD inSITE enables your organization to spend less effort managing time and more time working on things that keep the business running. OUR THOUGHTS ON Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible2. Ask Us ### Sage Fixed Assets Sage Fixed Assets Sage Fixed Assets software gives total control over fixed assets throughout their entire lifecycle. Based upon an easy-to-learn, intuitive user interface, Sage FAS Fixed Assets is the most comprehensive fixed asset management solution for asset depreciation, inventory tracking, and custom reporting. Sage Fixed Assets Asset Accounting Fixed Assets Asset Accounting software is fixed asset depreciation software that integrates with multiple accounting applications. Fixed Assets has the most comprehensive depreciation calculation engine in the industry, containing over 300,000 IRS tax rules and GAAP supported depreciation methods. Fixed Assets allows for up to seven books, all visible on one screen: Internal, Tax, ACE, AMT, State, and two user-defined custom books. Sage Fixed Assets Asset Inventory Fixed Assets Asset Inventory gives you automated fixed asset inventory tracking and reconciliation capabilities. Allows for the use of bar code technology, including Windows Mobile devices. Enables companies to conduct multiple inventories concurrently at various sites and reconcile data at one central location. Sage Fixed Assets Construction-in-Progress (CIP) Accounting Fixed Assets CIP Accounting lets you assemble multi-component equipment, upgrade machinery, renovate buildings, or accumulate separate invoices prior to placing a fixed asset into service. Manages both capitalized and expensed assets for convenient project tracking. Tracks all of the project details including status, contacts, notes, and all of the financial details. Additionally, you can monitor both the physical and financial completion status of the project. Upon project completion, the application will instantly create the asset in the Asset Accounting application. Sage Fixed Assets Gov and Sage Fixed Assets Nonprofit: Same functionality as Fixed AssetsAsset Accounting with reporting features for government and school organizations to help them comply with GASB 34/35 requirements. Request Additional Information To learn more about this product and how it can help your business, please contact Patrick Armknecht at 412-697-5386. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What has COVID-19 taught us about our businesses processes? If you’re like the employees of Schneider Downs, you haven’t seen the inside of your office since mid-March. The first… Read More > Processes Under Pressure COVID-19 has impacted work environments in ways never imagined. Teams, offices – even entire companies – have shifted to working… Read More > The Value of Business Process Analysis in your Succession Plan Are you planning to exit your business in the next 5-10 years? Have you thought about succession plans for your… Read More > ### Microsoft Product Resources Microsoft Product Resources SD Digital has compiled the following resources and links relevant to Microsoft technology products offered by Schneider Downs.Schneider Downs ResourcesMicrosoft Dynamics GP FAQWhitepaper – Benefits of Migrating to the CloudSchneider Downs Technology ArticlesThird-Party ResourcesMicrosoft Dynamics 365 Business Central OverviewMicrosoft Business Central Infographic for NonprofitsForrester Report – Total Economic Impact™ of Business CentralRelated Microsoft SolutionsMicrosoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralMicrosoft Dynamics NAVMicrosoft Dynamics GP Ready to Get Started? Schedule a Demo About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com. Ready to Get Started? Schedule a Demo Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What has COVID-19 taught us about our businesses processes? If you’re like the employees of Schneider Downs, you haven’t seen the inside of your office since mid-March. The first… Read More > Processes Under Pressure COVID-19 has impacted work environments in ways never imagined. Teams, offices – even entire companies – have shifted to working… Read More > The Value of Business Process Analysis in your Succession Plan Are you planning to exit your business in the next 5-10 years? Have you thought about succession plans for your… Read More > ### Microsoft Dynamics ERP Microsoft Dynamics ERP Solutions Implement, Integrate, and Optimize Dynamics 365 Business Central. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a business-critical ERP platform that integrates key business functions including finance, operations, sales, and customer service into a single solution.Relying on an outdated ERP system exposes organizations to critical risks and operational challenges, such as security gaps, limited access, compliance troubles, and subpar user experiences. Operationally, outdated or absent ERP platforms result in financial recordkeeping challenges when closing books, managing general ledgers, and making journal adjustments – all of which result in excessive internal resources being used where technology should be doing the work.If you are experiencing these issues with your existing ERP, are operating on a legacy Microsoft platform or simply need to know how to get started, SD Digital can help. Since 2009, our business acumen, digital expertise and client-focused mindset have created impactful opportunities to help organizations of all sizes and industries identify, implement, integrate, and optimize Dynamics 365 Business Central (formerly NAV).Discover the benefits of switching to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.Contact Mike P. Scalamogna or book a time on his calendar. From initial advice to complex migrations, he’s here to help!Dynamics 365 Business Central SolutionsWhether you are starting to look at ERP options, migrating, implementing or searching for outsourced solutions, SD Digital can help with our slate of Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions.Valuation AssessmentsOur valuation assessments deliver a thorough evaluation of your readiness and needs, along with a business case, software requirements, and implementation plan, empowering you to make informed decisions.Blueprint ServicesOur blueprint services provide a detailed implementation guide and actionable roadmap, enabling leadership to swiftly assess the necessity, feasibility, resources, and timeline of your implementation.Implementation ServicesDeploying Dynamics 365 Business Central successfully requires more than just selecting software—it needs a dedicated partner like SD Digital with the expertise and strategic vision to understand your unique needs and ensure long-term success.Migration ServicesWith legacy software support waning, transitioning to Dynamics 365 Business Central is crucial to avoid issues like performance, usability, security, and functionality problems.Managed ServiceSD Digital provides fully outsourced services for essential functions such as IT security, system testing, daily maintenance, and reporting. While we offer outsourced managed services, our talent remains entirely US-based, consisting solely of SD Digital employees.Rescue ProgramIs Dynamics 365 Business Central falling short of your expectations? Frustrated with delayed support, costly fixes, or unmet feature requests? SD Digital can help realign your course and maximize your ERP investment.Why Choose SD Digital as Your ERP Partner?Business ExpertiseAs a part of a robust professional services firm, our team has access to a diverse bench of professionals who offers a broad spectrum of expertise—including cybersecurity, internal audit, data analytics, audit and assurance, and tax services—to enhance your implementation.Commitment to SuccessWe emphasize long-term client success, ensuring thorough documentation and clear instructions for your team's independent operation post-engagement.Dynamic KnowledgeFor more than 15 years, SD Digital has been a trusted partner for organizations of all sizes in all industries for Microsoft Dynamics GP, NAV, SL and Business Central.Trusted Digital PartnerChoosing us as your partner means you get a trusted team focused on keeping your digital capabilities up to date and running smoothly, ensuring you can focus on growth while we handle the technological details.What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an all-in-one enterprise resource planning (ERP) business management solution that helps your business connect financials, sales, service, and operations to streamline business processes, improve customer interactions and make better decisions.About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com. Want to learn more about Microsoft Dynamics 365? Schedule a Demo OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Data Analytics and Power BI Data Analytics and Power BI Solutions Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. Struggling with disconnected systems, unreliable data and time-consuming manual processes? SD Digital delivers data analytics solutions that centralize your data, eliminate inefficiencies and replace manual work with automation—giving you clean, real-time insights you can trust. With AI-powered dashboards and automated alerts, you no longer have to dig through spreadsheets or wait for updates. We put the right data at your fingertips, so you can make faster, smarter decisions with confidence. At SD Digital, we don’t just compile data—we empower your teams. By breaking down silos and driving collaboration, we ensure decision-makers across Accounting, FP&A, Operations and IT have the insights they need, exactly when they need them. Say goodbye to wasted hours on manual tasks and hello to a streamlined, data-driven future. Solutions for Every Stage of Your Data Analytics and Power BI Journey No matter where you are in your data analytics journey, SD Digital helps you unlock the full potential of your Power BI investment. Whether you’re defining stakeholder needs or scaling Power BI across your organization, SD Digital is committed to delivering a successful implementation, driving enterprise-wide adoption and fostering a data-driven culture that empowers your business. Assessing Data Analytics Business Value Assessment Ensure your Power BI investment delivers the right ROI. SD Digital helps you build a solid business case with clear implementation principles, aligning Power BI with your strategic goals for maximum impact. Power BI Blueprint Our iterative, human-centered approach to Power BI uncovers the analytics that drives real business impact. SD Digital helps you boost profitability, streamline supply chains, enhance quality and maximize business success. Starting Your Data Analytics Journey Quick Start Implementation Rapidly identify the business areas and systems that can benefit most from Power BI, deploying analytics that enhance and support your critical processes—delivering immediate value. Full Life Cycle Implementation For a seamless Power BI deployment, SD Digital offers an enterprise-wide tailored plan to solve the right challenges. Using a proven Agile approach, we assess, design and implement a strategic roadmap for smooth migration and long-term success. Evolving Your Data Analytics Journey Implementation Rescue  Struggling to maximize your analytics investment? SD Digital rapidly assesses your Power BI deployment, resolves key issues for quick wins and realigns it with business goals—restoring momentum and unlocking long-term value. Enterprise-Wide Adoption Expand Power BI across your organization with SD Digital. We empower decision-makers across departments with actionable insights to drive smarter, data-driven decisions at every level. SD Digital transforms data into strategic intelligence, optimizing operations and providing a comprehensive view of performance and opportunities. Learn more about our Power BI enterprise solutions.Ready to Start Your Digital Journey? Contact UsCommon Roadblocks to Power BI ImplementationSD Digital removes roadblocks to ensure a seamless, strategic Power BI implementation that delivers real results. If any of the following challenges sound familiar, we’re here to help.Incomplete, Disconnected and Unreliable Data – Incomplete, disconnected, or low-quality data is unreliable. A data warehouse organizes unstructured data, simplifies Power BI modeling for accuracy and efficiency, and automates data collection from previously inaccessible sources.Insufficient Power BI Expertise – Successful deployment requires skills in data integration, modeling, transformation, DAX coding and visualization—along with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. Many organizations lack the in-house expertise needed to maximize Power BI’s potential.Unclear Stakeholder Needs – Without clearly defined objectives from key stakeholders, Power BI deployments can miss the mark. Engaging stakeholders early ensures alignment with business goals and user expectations.IT Concerns and Roadblocks – Security, integration complexities, user training, infrastructure, licensing costs and governance challenges often stall Power BI projects. Addressing these concerns upfront is crucial for success.Low Adoption and Engagement – Even after deployment, Power BI usage may be minimal due to misalignment with business needs, poor training, unintuitive visuals or lack of leadership support. Ensuring proper onboarding and ongoing engagement is key to driving user value.Industry Experience Financial Services Manufacturing Real Estate Healthcare Construction Transportation & Logistics  About SD DigitalSD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. With a forward-thinking cap and digital lens, we empower organizations to realize the art of the possible with the power of digital through business-focused and technology-enabled solutions, built on an unwavering commitment to practicality, speed to market and the user experience.Learn more on our dedicated SD Digital page or contact the team directly at contact@sddigital.com. OUR THOUGHTS ON Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services.… Read More > Unlocking the Promise of Digital Modernization in Real Estate How is digital modernization impacting the real estate industry? Digital modernization is the strategic integration of digital technologies to transform… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > What's New at Schneider Downs Consulting? One of the best parts of working at Schneider Downs is seeing our consulting practice help clients of all sizes… Read More > Top 5 Digital Priorities for CFOs in 2025 As we set resolutions, close out the previous year, finalize budgets, and kick off new transformational initiatives, the modern-day CFO… Read More > Year-End Individual Tax Planning for 2024 With only a few weeks remaining in the calendar year (how can this be?!), it’s still not too late to… Read More > PA Computer Services Guidance Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) published written guidance on the taxability of services related to software and digital… Read More > Leveraging Intelligent Automation – Lessons from the CDK Global Cyberattack A couple of months ago, CDK Global was victim to a cyberattack, prompting them to halt most of their services… Read More > Top 5 Overlooked Factors in Measuring ROI of Intelligent Automation Programs When calculating Return-On-Investment (“ROI”) for an intelligent automation program, many organizations fail to accurately measure the value the technology provides.… Read More > Postcard from Automation Anywhere 2024 I had the pleasure of representing SD Digital’s Intelligent Automation Team at Automation Anywhere’s Imagine 2024 Conference in Austin, Texas.… Read More > What You Missed at DynamicsCon We traveled to Denver earlier this month to attend DynamicsCon. The week was jam-packed with educational sessions, listening to stories… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Selecting the Right Partner for your Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Solution Implementation A critical task in selecting the right Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution is ensuring you have the right consulting partner… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > What You Missed at Dynamics Community Summit Wow! What a week at Dynamics Community Summit in Charlotte. A short blog post cannot do all the great content… Read More > Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry All companies are susceptible to cybersecurity attacks; however, this article focuses on some of the main vulnerabilities within the construction… Read More > Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry – Why So Much Hesitation? Why are so many construction companies still reliant on manual processes? Since investing in enhanced processes and technology most likely… Read More > Top New Features in Business Central 2023 Release Wave 2 We’re excited about the next release of Dynamics 365 Business Central. There are many new features that make the platform easier… Read More > ### Locations ### Retirement Solutions ### PrimeGlobal PrimeGlobalAccounting, Tax and Business Advisory Services Around the WorldAs your business looks beyond its current market areas and expands past the U.S. borders, it is important to work with a business partner who understands the many nuances of operating in a global marketplace.Through our active membership in PrimeGlobal, Schneider Downs can serve all your global business needs. We offer complete access to a worldwide network of local and regional firms that provide quality accounting, tax and consulting expertise throughout the United States and abroad.PrimeGlobal is one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world - with more than 380 independent member firms that operate almost 850 offices in 89 countries. Most importantly, all PrimeGlobal member firms must adhere to the highest quality procedures to ensure you receive only the best business advice, given in a personalized way.PrimeGlobal’s website ### Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World ### Experienced Professionals Where your EXPERIENCEcounts. Schneider Downs is proud that we have created a unique culture through which our professionals can thrive and develop. For over 65 years, Schneider Downs has provided audit, tax, consulting, and wealth management services through our team of innovative thought leaders committed to our approach of providing Big Thinking with a Personal Focus. Our client roster includes a diverse blend of well-established national and regional businesses both publicly and privately owned – as well as not-for-profits and exciting start-ups. Regardless of industry of corporate profile, our clients receive the highest level of responsiveness, proactivity, and personal attention to their individual needs. We call that commitment the SD Standard and it’s what makes us different. At Schneider Downs, you’ll gain national firm experience, with a regional touch. You’re not just a number here. You’ll have the opportunity to work on wide-ranging client sizes, industries, and project complexities. You will be able to provide value and solutions to our clients with whom you’ll build rewarding and lasting relationships.Our firm’s history of growth and continual introduction of new services provide broad opportunities for career variety and advancement. We also offer a mentorship program to help guide and support new team members as they start their journey with Schneider Downs. All of our leaders deeply care about and prioritize our team members’ professional development and future growth. Ready to learn more? See All Job Openings FEATURED JOB OPENINGS 2026 Tax Winter Intern Tax Pittsburgh PA Schneider Downs is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge in the public accounting environment to participate in our 2026 internship program.… Learn More > 2026 Risk Advisory Summer Intern Risk Advisory Services Columbus OH Our growing Risk Advisory Services practice, a specialty area within our Consulting Services group, provides outsourcing, co-sourcing and Sarbanes-Oxley assistance to clients in various industries,… Learn More > 2026 Risk Advisory Summer Intern Risk Advisory Services Pittsburgh PA Our growing Risk Advisory Services practice, a specialty area within our Consulting Services group, provides outsourcing, co-sourcing and Sarbanes-Oxley assistance to clients in various industries,… Learn More > 2026 IT Risk Advisory Summer Intern IT Risk Advisory Services Columbus OH Our growing IT Risk Advisory Services practice, a specialty area within our Consulting Services group, is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge… Learn More > 2026 IT Risk Advisory Summer Intern IT Risk Advisory Services Pittsburgh PA Our growing IT Risk Advisory Services practice, a specialty area within our Consulting Services group, is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge… Learn More > See all openings Not ready to apply but want to stay connected, learn more about Schneider Downs, and future career opportunities that interest you? Join our Talent Community.  Join our Talent Community We value your time. Please enter your information to get the conversation started and Schneider Downs HR will reach out to you. For more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings.Questions? Contact us today. ### Explorers Program Your world is moving fast. Just a short time ago you graduated from high school and in just a few years you will start a professional career. Let us help you navigate this challenging and wondrous journey. By participating in the one-day Schneider Downs Explorers Program, you and other high-performing freshmen and sophomores will learn about the immense opportunities and rewards within a professional services firm, interact with our professionals, including current interns, and network with colleagues from other universities. In addition, our recruiting professionals will provide valuable insights and advice to assist in your preparation for future internship and full-time interviews and the overall recruiting/hiring process. We are always looking for high-achieving students pursuing accounting and/or technology-related degrees with strong academic performance (3.0 GPA or higher) for our internships in the following areas:We also have shared firm, office and departmental activities to keep you connected, make you feel a part of the team and encourage the development of lasting friendships. Some of our team’s favorite events include:AuditTaxRisk Advisory (IT Risk Advisory, Enterprise Risk Management, SOC Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management)Technology Advisory (Cybersecurity, Business Process Automation (BPA), Data Analytics and Software Solutions) Apply For Program Who’s eligible to participate? Freshman and sophomore standing in a full-time academic program, pursuing a Bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting or in technology-related fields.Strong academic performance; preferred overall GPA of 3.3 (3.0 minimum) total rewards Best-in-class benefits are anything but basic -“ experience the extras that make work infinitely more rewarding. read more Work-Life Balance  Embrace professional challenges and enjoy a full personal life with a culture that facilitates work-life balance. read more ### All Openings ### Emerging Talent Where your EDUCATION counts. Build an exceptional career with diverse, talented people who are among the most respected in their fields. At Schneider Downs, we prioritize your growth and development within a caring culture and work together toward collaborative impact. We are committed to your personal and professional development, offering coaching and mentoring tailored to each individual. Bring your entrepreneurial spirit to a firm that values new ideas and innovation, allowing you to learn and grow quickly. You’ll engage in impactful work that allows you to make a difference for the firm, our clients and the community. Personal focus is key here, fostering an inclusive environment where differences are truly valued, and everyone works together to solve problems and achieve success. We offer flexibility to our team members – not just as where and how they work, but also manageable hours throughout the year. We provide our team members with autonomy and empowerment in their roles by encouraging them to pursue new ideas and ways to innovate or improve processes. We make our team members feel welcomed and at home, beginning with a robust onboarding program and continuing through formal mentoring and development programs throughout their career, as well as activities created to foster camaraderie and support. Ready to learn more? See All Job Openings FEATURED JOB OPENINGS   2026 Tax Summer Intern Tax Columbus OH Schneider Downs is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge in the public accounting environment to participate in our 2026 internship program.… Learn More > 2026 Tax Summer Intern Tax Pittsburgh PA Schneider Downs is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge in the public accounting environment to participate in our 2026 internship program.… Learn More > 2026 Audit Summer Intern Audit Columbus OH Schneider Downs is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge in the public accounting environment to participate in our 2026 internship program.… Learn More > 2026 Audit Summer Intern Audit Pittsburgh PA Schneider Downs is seeking motivated students who are interested in expanding their knowledge in the public accounting environment to participate in our 2026 internship program.… Learn More > See all openings Learn more about Schneider Downs Careers. Questions? Contact us today. SKYLA SOMMERKAMP Risk Advisory Services Intern "It is very clear that Schneider Downs values community and inclusiveness between its employees. The efforts the company has made to make the virtual environment feel like being at the office is something I have never experienced before." Read more BRITANI LINGAFELT Cybersecurity Intern "My experiences over the past several weeks serve as a reminder not to be intimidated by what I do not know and to be open-minded about possibilities for the future. I could not have predicted all the ways I would grow and benefit from this internship, and I am so glad that I spent this summer as an intern on Schneider Downs’ Cybersecurity Team." Read more ### Flexibility Work-Life Flexibility Work-life flexibility is not just a slogan at Schneider Downs, it’s a focus.Schneider Downs offers a unique culture where employees can pursue professional excellence while enjoying a full personal life. Although we have grown to be one of the nation's largest public accounting firms, we remain committed to supporting the important things in your life.Your quality of life is important to us, which is why we offer limited out-of-town travel and flexible work arrangements. We are committed to planning advanced work schedules so you can effectively plan your life's events and will work closely with you to ensure that your life remains in balance.Schneider Downs is dedicated to our people and focused on delivering exceptional client service. We value strong relationships, across clients, teams, the firm, and our communities, and appreciate that where we work is not anchored to one place and is focused more on outcomes.As the world shifts its thinking about work, we are embracing newly expanded options for our employees, including hybrid and remote work. We understand the importance of balancing the needs of our clients and the development of our people with employee flexibility, and we believe that flexibility must be a joint commitment between the firm and its employees rooted in trust, strong communication and a commitment to excellence.We also have shared firm, office and departmental activities to keep you connected, make you feel a part of the team and encourage the development of lasting friendships. Some of our team’s favorite events include:After work receptions and happy hoursCommunity involvement opportunitiesHoliday dinners and celebrations New hire team-building activitiesSummer picnics and social eventsFor more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings.Questions? Contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. total rewards Best-in-class benefits are anything but basic -“ experience the extras that make work infinitely more rewarding. read more ### Growth & Development Grow, develop and learn. The journey is yours.Learning is an ongoing process. Ours is a culture of continual development. We place a high premium on working with you to ensure that your ongoing education is tailored to meet your professional development needs.We’ll work with you to match your skills and interests so that you can choose your direction with confidence, from selecting an industry focus to working in a department that interests you most. We offer a course catalog that allows you to chart the course of your education throughout your time with Schneider Downs.We encourage everyone from staff member to shareholder to stay connected to new ideas, insights, best practices, and of course, learning. Career Path We will work with you to align your interests and skills with career opportunities as you advance within the firm. You'll be matched with an advisor who will provide one-on-one career guidance and coaching as you chart the course of your professional development and career. Options abound, from selecting to work in specific industries, to pursuing inter-departmental transfers, we are here to help guide you through those decisions. Leadership We will provide you with many of the tools to help you achieve a leadership role as an independent professional who thinks, evaluates, decides and then takes responsibility for those decisions. Your development and success, however, will also depend on your attitude, desire and commitment. Your success will ultimately come from your ability to collaborate with others, perform work of the highest quality and provide unsurpassed service to our clients. Training Learning is an ongoing and never ending endeavor. Ours is a culture of continual self-development and exploration. We place a premium on working with you to meet your unique professional development needs and interests. We offer learning pathways that allow you to chart the course of your education throughout your time with Schneider Downs. total rewards Best-in-class benefits are anything but basic -“ experience the extras that make work infinitely more rewarding. read more Work-Life Balance  Embrace professional challenges and enjoy a full personal life with a culture that facilitates work-life balance. read more Diversity and Inclusion Embrace our differences and celebrate what we can accomplish together Learn More Why Work At Schneider Downs? Explore Schneider Downs. You'll like what you see. Learn More For more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings.Questions? Contact us today. ### Total Rewards Schneider Downs’ total rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and programs to make your professional life better.Schneider Downs offers a comprehensive total rewards package to all full-time and eligible part-time employees, many of which are available on the first day of employment. We regularly monitor our benefits to ensure that it is best in class and the current offerings include:401(k) plan with firm profit sharingAFLAC productsCorporate discounts CPA and other approved license assistance and bonusesDentalDisability and life/AD&D"Dress for your day" dress codeEducation assistanceEmployee bonusesEmployment referral bonusesFlexible spending account (medical and dependent care)Flexible work arrangementsGym membership reimbursementsMedicalPet insurance Paid holidaysPaid parental leavePaid personal daysPaid time offTransportation fringe benefit planVariable compensation programsVision Voluntary group term-life insuranceFor more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings.Questions? Contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. WORK-LIFE BALANCE  Embrace professional challenges and enjoy a full personal life with a culture that facilitates work-life balance. read more ### Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Embrace our differences and celebrate what we can accomplish together.Consistent with our Mission Statement of Working Together Every Day to Make Our Firm, Clients and Communities Better, Schneider Downs is committed to giving back to our communities and providing our employees with opportunities to do so. We do this, in part, through a team of dedicated Schneider Downs personnel who comprise our "SD Cares" Committee, whose mission is to be a resource to all employees to learn about volunteer opportunities in our communities. The firm also provides PTO for approved volunteering activities.We are committed to a workplace which is free from discrimination, harassment and bullying. We recognize the importance of having individuals with diverse backgrounds and distinctive perspectives, as they contribute to our firm by challenging assumptions and practices. We acknowledge our commitment to a culture where each employee is respected and valued as a key contributor to our firm's success. total rewards Best-in-class benefits are anything but basic -“ experience the extras that make work infinitely more rewarding. read more Work-Life Balance  Embrace professional challenges and enjoy a full personal life with a culture that facilitates work-life balance. read more For more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings. Questions? Contact us today. ### Copyright and Permissions Schneider Downs Copyright & Permissions All content on this site is property of Schneider Downs unless otherwise noted and should not be used without written permission. Any reproduction, retransmission, republication or other use of any or part of any document found on this site is expressly prohibited without said prior consent.Your request for permission to use or repost Schneider Downs’ text, photos, graphics or audio can be obtained by filling out and submitting the form below. Once you have completed this form, you can submit your request by clicking the button below. Schneider Downs' Permissions Coordinator will respond to your request within 24 hours. If you have any questions, please contact the permissions coordinator. "*" indicates required fields Name* Company* Email Address* Website* I agree to the following requirements.* The material will be used solely for informational purposes. The material will not be used for commercial purposes. Any copy of this information will include notice of "Copyright Schneider Downs," along with a link to www.schneiderdowns.com. * I am requesting permission to reproduce information found on the Schneider Downs website. Please specify the exact content you are interested in by page from schneiderdowns.com, and where (website, newspaper, broadcast, etc.) you will post the content.*NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit * required ### Disclaimers Disclaimers This Web site describes certain services of Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. that may be available depending upon the client's particular needs. The specific terms of an engagement letter will govern in determining the services actually to be rendered by Schneider Downs to a particular clientIf you have any questions about this disclaimer, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this website, you can contact info@schneiderdowns.com. ### Diversity Diversity StatementSchneider Downs & Co., Inc. is committed to ensuring diversity in our firm by actively recruiting, hiring, developing, and promoting a diverse group of employees based on individual merit and performance. We seek to create an inclusive environment in which each person is valued as a key component of our culture and a critical factor in our ability to provide quality service to our clients. ### News 2024 Archive 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 July 10, 2024 Women & Business Profile: Susan M. Kirsch Read More > July 10, 2024 Schneider Downs Announces Schneider Downs Capital Value Advisors for the Middle Market July 10, 2024 — Schneider Downs & Co. introduces a new subsidiary: Schneider Downs… Read More > June 6, 2024 CMO Sean Smith Discusses the Evolving Digital Marketing Landscape on the Association for Accounting Marketing’s Amplify! Podcast Read More > May 16, 2024 Stephanie Haugh discusses strategies to recruit top talent with Pittsburgh Business Times. Read More > April 25, 2024 SD Digital Senior Manager Chris Kosty, CPA, CIDA shares his digital wisdom with the CFMA. Read More > March 29, 2024 David Brinkman Featured On Columbus Business First Wealth Management Table Of Experts Read More > March 29, 2024 CARLEY TASLOV SHARES HER INSIGHTS WITH ABC NEWS 7 ON THE IMPACT OF THE BALTIMORE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE ON CONSUMERS Read More > March 27, 2024 SCHNEIDER DOWNS WINS CLEARLYRATED’S 2024 BEST OF ACCOUNTING DIAMOND AWARD FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE Read More > March 20, 2024 SCHNEIDER DOWNS WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LP NAMED A 2024 TOP DEFINED CONTRIBUTION ADVISOR TEAM BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PLAN ADVISORS We are pleased to announce that Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) has been named as one of the… Read More > March 8, 2024 MATT HARTMAN SHARES HIS INSIGHTS ON US CLIMATE DISCLOSURE PROGRAMS Read More > February 7, 2024 SCHNEIDER DOWNS UNVEILS SD DIGITAL Reimagining Technology and Data Services February 7, 2024 - Schneider Downs & Co. introduces SD Digital, an evolution of their… Read More > February 1, 2024 ROGER SPEARS DISCUSSES CYBERSECURITY TIPS FOR THE NEW YEAR Read More > January 22, 2024 BLUE JACKETS ANNOUNCE SCHNEIDER DOWNS AS NEW CORPORATE PARTNER Read More > January 18, 2024 Schneider Downs has joined the Women in Manufacturing Association Schneider Downs is pleased to announce its membership with the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), a global trade association dedicated… Read More > January 11, 2024 ROGER SPEARS DISCUSSES HOME NETWORK SECURITY WITH CYBER DEFENSE MAGAZINE Read More > January 11, 2024 CO-CEOS STEVEN THOMPSON AND CHRIS MCELROY RECOGNIZED ON THE 2024 PBT POWER 100 LIST Read More > January 4, 2024 BRETT CUBELLIS INTERVIEWED BY INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS MAGAZINE ON EV CREDITS Read More > 2023 2022 2021 2020 Read More > ### Peer Review Peer Review ReportSeptember 25, 2022To the Partners of Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.and the National Peer Review CommitteeWe have reviewed the system of quality control for the accounting and auditing practice of Schneider Downs and Co., Inc., applicable to engagements not subject to PCAOB permanent inspection, in effect for the year ended May 31, 2022. Our peer review was conducted in accordance with the Standards for Performing and Reporting on Peer Reviews established by the Peer Review Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Standards).Read the entire Schneider Downs Peer Review Report. ### Mission and Corporate Values Mission and ValuesSchneider Downs is proud that we have created a unique culture through which our professionals can thrive and develop, and our clients receive the highest levels of care, attention and expertise. Our culture has remained consistent for more than 50 years, and we have no doubt it will continue to be a defining characteristic of our firm. We believe the continuity of our culture is due to the unified approach each and every one of us take to living up to the Schneider Downs Mission Statement and Core Values. CORE VALUES Care and Respect We are committed to treating everyone with care, inclusion and respect through honest conversations, thoughtful decision-making and genuine empathy. Integrity We build trust-based relationships by doing the right thing for each other, our clients and our communities. Be Great We strive for excellence and continuously seek opportunities to provide exceptional service and expertise to our clients. Adaptive We embrace change, adapt to evolving needs and remain flexible to solve problems for our employees, clients and community. We Not Me We prioritize the collective good of the firm, making selfless, team-centric and collaborative decisions. Our MissionBe great for our people, clients and communitiesOur NicheWe listen, understand and care ### History History Schneider Downs was established in 1956 by James T. Schneider and Paul Downs. Their leadership and vision set the stage for the future growth and success of the firm. In 1985, Schneider and Downs retired, and Raymond W. Buehler, Jr. and Kenneth A. Rowles assumed leadership. They moved the firm’s 50 professionals from Downtown Pittsburgh to 1133 Penn Avenue, a historic building located on the edge of Pittsburgh’s fabled Strip District. Then, in 2013, the Pittsburgh office moved to One PPG Place to accommodate the firm’s growth. With a growing number of Midwestern clients, Schneider Downs opened an additional office in Columbus, Ohio, in 1989. By the mid-1990s, the Columbus office had grown from just 1 to nearly 50 employees—and today it boasts a staff of more than 80 professionals. Buehler and Rowles shared the founders’ vision of providing quality and attentive client service together with insightful and innovative solutions. After Ken Rowles retired in 2003, Ray Buehler served as President and CEO until 2014, when he transitioned to Chairman and returned to the co-management philosophy, naming Timothy Hammer and Steven Thompson Co-Managing Shareholders. When Tim Hammer retired in 2020, Chris McElroy joined Thompson as the second Co-Managing Shareholder. In early 2020, a new office was opened in McLean, VA to serve clients in Washington DC and the surrounding areas. While the new office does not have dedicated staff, it provides the facilities and resources necessary for the firm to best serve existing clients in that area and demonstrates a commitment to expanding operations as part of our 2030 strategic plan. The firm has historically continued to develop our people, add talent and invest in technology to offer new services and solutions to meet the evolving needs of our clients. As part of our mission, we remain committed to continually introducing new services and practices based on ever-changing client needs and market conditions. We first added business advisory and internal audit services in the early 1990s, and today, we have a full array of consulting services, from technology and data tools and methodologies to risk and financial advisory. We will continue to introduce new capabilities as client needs arise. Within the Pittsburgh and Columbus offices, we have more than 500 personnel, including 50+ shareholders and partners, serving private and publicly traded companies and professional service firms, as well as not-for-profit and government entities. Schneider Downs is one of the 60 largest public accounting firms in the United States. Schneider Downs is also registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), enabling us to audit the financial statements of public companies, and with the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB). ### Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) Submit a Request for Proposal We invite you to submit your RFP and welcome the opportunity to work with you. You can either fill out the below form and submit your RFP via our website or submit to the below mailing address. Submit an RFP by online form: By Mail PittsburghATTN:MARKETINGSchneider DownsOne PPG Place, Suite1700 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 ColumbusATTN:MARKETINGSchneider Downs65 E.State Street, Suite 2000 Columbus, OH 43215 ### Management Management Team Our shareholders have directed corporations, owned small businesses and managed nonprofits. They know your business. Our shareholders and partners are dedicated to the growth, stability and mission of Schneider Downs.We know that these kinds of people are key to creating a quality organization, so we make sure our employees are involved and challenged in their work. Their continued dedication to Schneider Downs lets us remain fully committed to you. Schneider Downs All (55) Audit (19) Consulting (13) Tax (23) GEORGE E. ADAMS CPA Tax Shareholder ROSS S. ALESSANDRO III CPA Tax Shareholder GREGORY L. ALLISON JD, CPA/PFS, CFP® Tax Shareholder DONALD B. APPLEGARTH CPA Audit Shareholder PATRICK B. ARMKNECHT CPA, CITP Consulting Shareholder STEVEN A. BARBER CPA, MST Tax Shareholder JEANNE M. BARRETT CPA Audit Shareholder STACI L. BROGAN CPA Audit Shareholder JOSEPH A. BRUCE CPA Audit Shareholder BRETT T. CUBELLIS CPA Tax Shareholder RYAN R. DEATRICK CPA, CCIFP Audit Shareholder EUGENE M. DEFRANK CPA Audit Shareholder WILLIAM M. DELLER JR., CISA, CTPRP, CTPRA, CCSFP Consulting Shareholder GENNARO J. DIBELLO CPA Tax Shareholder MARK A. DIPIETRANTONIO CPA, CCIFP Tax Shareholder ERIC M. FAIR CISA, CDPSE, CBCLA Consulting Shareholder EDWARD R. FRIEL CPA Audit Shareholder PATRICIA R. GIUDICI CPA Audit Shareholder ADAM J. GOODE CPA Consulting Shareholder KIMBERLY P. GRIFFITH CPA Audit Shareholder JOHN J. HUCKLE Consulting Shareholder TONY P. IELASE CISA Consulting Shareholder KIMBERLY L. JAMES CPA Audit Shareholder PATRICK F. KERNS CPA Audit Shareholder SUSAN M. KIRSCH CPA, JD Tax Shareholder CARL N. KRIEBEL CISSP Consulting Shareholder MATTHEW S. LEGG CPA Tax Shareholder NICHOLAS D. LOMBARDO CPA Audit Shareholder BRIAN W. MATTHEWS CPA, CM&AA Consulting Shareholder CHRISTOPHER S. MCELROY CPA Tax Shareholder JAY R. MEGLICH CPA Audit Shareholder DAVID J. MITROS CPA Tax Shareholder DOUGLAS J. MORALLY CPA Audit Shareholder WOODROW M. MORRIS CPA Tax Shareholder JOHN R. NULL CPA Audit Shareholder EVAN C. OGRODNIK CPA Tax Shareholder THEODORE M. PETTKO CPA Audit Shareholder DANIEL P. PHILLIPS CPA Tax Shareholder SARAH R. PIOT CPA Tax Shareholder THOMAS D. PRATT CPA, ABV, CFF, CVA Consulting Shareholder JAMES A. SAYRE CPA Tax Shareholder CARL D. SCHARF CPA Tax Shareholder DARIN G. SCHINDLER CPA Tax Shareholder TOM SPRINGER Consulting Shareholder JUSTIN C. STEELE ESQ Tax Shareholder CARLEY R TASLOV CPA Consulting Shareholder STEVEN D. THOMPSON CPA Audit Shareholder TREVOR P. WARREN CPA Audit Shareholder LAUREN E. WEDDELL CPA Audit Shareholder MATTHEW C. WERNER CPA Tax Shareholder MEGAN J. WHITLOCK CPA Tax Shareholder RON S. WOLLETT JD Tax Shareholder STEPHEN R. WORTH CPA, JD Tax Shareholder ERIC M. WRIGHT CPA, CITP Consulting Shareholder JAMES B. YARD CPA CIA CISA Consulting Shareholder Wealth Management DAVID C. BRINKMAN CFA, CPA, CFP® Shareholder MICHAEL J. BUCCI CIMA® Shareholder DEREK J. EICHELBERGER CFA, CFP®, AIFA® Shareholder JASON M. LUMPKIN QKA®, AIF® Shareholder NANCY L. SKEANS CPA, CFP®, MBA Shareholder JASON R. STALEY CFA, CAIA® Shareholder SD Capital PETER J. LIEBERMAN Consulting Shareholder OF Special Counsel RAYMOND W. BUEHLER JR. CPA Shareholder PAUL M. MATVEY CPA Shareholder JEFFREY A. WLAHOFSKY CPA Shareholder Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ### Case Studies Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. .elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--margin-block-start:2rem;--margin-block-end:2rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--display:flex;--gap:0px 0px;--background-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f .elementor-heading-title{color:var( --e-global-color-secondary );}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2ed9004f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 2rem 0rem;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2967fb09{line-height:1;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-910b672{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:100%;--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-3a627172{--display:flex;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0px;--padding-block-end:0px;--padding-inline-start:0px;--padding-inline-end:0px;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-6b89d71c{--margin-block-start:3.125rem;--margin-block-end:3.125rem;--margin-inline-start:0rem;--margin-inline-end:0rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:59%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-383 .elementor-element.elementor-element-660f104b{--width:75%;}} Here are just a few examples of how our Big Thinking and Personal Focus have helped our clients. Contact us to start the conversation about your business. Categories  All Advisory Audit Cybersecurity RAS Retirement Tax Technology Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance Shareholder TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review and compilation engagements, and he services a diversified number of industries, from automotive to nonprofit. He also leads the firm’s Emerging Technology Services Group. When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products across multiple taxing jurisdictions, Trevor and his team understood that this missing piece would pose issues during due diligence and could negatively impact the client’s sale. To help ensure that the sale went smoothly, Trevor and his team suggested that the Schneider Downs state and local tax group perform a sales tax nexus study on the company. The group performed an analysis on both the client’s material revenue streams and the sales tax reporting requirements in the jurisdictions where they had customers. Then, Trevor and his team used that information to estimate the client’s total tax exposure, pinpoint the jurisdictions with significant exposure and help draft Voluntary Disclosure Agreements in those the jurisdictions. “We know that these requirements can be hard on early-stage companies when they have limited staff and revenue generation is a primary focus,” said Trevor. “By doing this analysis and going through the voluntary disclosure agreement process, we were able to get the company compliant with their sales tax filing requirements at a significantly reduced cost.” In addition, this process eliminated tax issues and exposure for the company upon exit. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Shareholder STEVE BARBER has been with Schneider Downs since 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in all areas of tax advisory services including tax planning, research and compliance, accounting, acquiring, selling and operational and financial reporting matters for closely held businesses. Steve serves clients in several diversified industries, including automobile, construction, real estate and manufacturing. As leader of the Automotive Services Group, Steve learned from most, if not all clients that they were struggling with COVID-19’s impact on their ability to maintain an inventory of new vehicles. For dealers using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting, when inventories dip, normally the LIFO reserve is recaptured, and more federal income taxes are due. Therefore, because of the pandemic-fueled shortage, many of Steve’s clients were faced with potential significant tax liabilities. Steve and his team took a two-pronged approach to helping their clients avoid the LIFO reserve recapture. “We suggested a different accounting method to calculate LIFO reserve to avoid the recognition of income prematurely,” he said. In addition, the group devised a way to bolster their clients’ inventory calculations. “We combine the dealer’s used vehicles and parts with their new vehicles to create a larger pool of inventory and to capitalize on the very large used vehicle inflation,” said Steve. This made the LIFO reserve recapture not as drastic and, in some cases, increased the reserve. Working with Steve, one client experienced a 25% increase to their LIFO reserve, rather than what would have been a 60% drop caused by the pandemic. Implementing Steve’s team’s suggestions, the dealer changed their income by approximately $2 million and achieved over $600,000 in deferred tax savings. Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Organization Severely Impacted By Covid-19. Big Thinking: Identify And Claim Over $1.1m In Refundable Credits. With over 14 years of experience, MATTHEW WERNER is a tax shareholder with expertise in serving public, private, and emerging global organizations. He has worked with domestic and global clients in numerous industries including transportation, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. TREVOR WARREN joined Schneider Downs in 2001 and has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting. He mainly focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements, and services a diversified number of industries from automotive to nonprofit. One of Trevor’s clients fell victim to ransomware. Their system was locked down and the ransom was in the mid six-figures. The company had cyber insurance and was referred to a few firms that were more focused on negotiating the ransom instead of assisting in restoring the system. That’s when Trevor received a call from the company’s CFO. “I was able to immediately get the CFO in touch with our cyber team, who were on-site and working with their Director of Information Technology quickly,” said Trevor. “We were able to successfully restore the client’s system and remove any threat of ransomware. Plus, the client did not have to pay any of the ransom and most of our fees were covered through their cyber insurance.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Accurately Gauging Employee Credit Card Usage. Big Thinking: Revised Policies To Safeguard Client Funds. KIM GRIFFITH has more than 30 years of accounting experience and specializes in providing audit, tax and business consulting services to not-for-profit and governmental clients. She joined Schneider Downs in 2016 and provides clients with a range of services including budgeting, account systems, reviews of policies and procedures and strategic planning. One of Kim’s clients operates multiple community-living homes and was struggling to determine if employees were using their company credit cards appropriately. Through audit procedures, they were able to uncover questionable transitions and change the credit card usage policies. “We were able to identify a new purchasing card provider for our client and assess the data that they could utilize under this new system,” said Kim. “That way, they can more effectively monitor the transactions through automated reporting which safeguards the client’s funds.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Joining Schneider Downs in 2004, DOUG MORALLY has more than 14 years of public accounting experience. He serves a variety of clients from not-for-profit, construction, retail, transportation, manufacturing industries and professional services. One of Doug’s clients, a professional services company, was looking to transition their Research and Development (R&D) study to Schneider Downs to save money and maximize the R&D tax credit. Doug’s team was able to use their expertise to expand the sample of projects reviewed in 2019 and increase the net R&D credit. “This expansion helped identify an R&D tax credit of almost $900,000—almost double what have been identified in previous years,” said Doug. “We were able to help our client save significant money and maximize their R&D tax credit.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Time Consuming Billing Process. Big Thinking: Utilize Robotic Process Automation To Reduce Manual Input Time By 75%. Shareholder PATRICK ARMKNECHT has been with Schneider Downs for over 21 years. His expertise lies mainly in corporate accounting, project management and software implementation. One of Patrick’s clients was looking for more efficient back-office operations. Patrick’s team recommended the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology to help address their billing problem. After implementing RPA technology, manual time spent completing the monthly billing process was reduced by 75%. “Although the immediate need was focused on the monthly billing process, we recognized that investment in RPA would also enable the client to automate a number of processes throughout their organization,” Patrick said. “They have already implemented five other automation projects in different parts of the organization and have a list of more than 20 other processes they intend to automate in the near future.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Large Tax Burden In The Succession Plans Of A Family Business. Big Thinking: Creating A Grantor Trust To Save $1.5 Million. GREG ALLISON is responsible for estate and succession planning for business owners, executives and high-net-worth individuals. He also prepares annual income tax returns for estates and trusts in addition to gift tax returns, federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns. One of Greg’s clients was a father wanting to retire and give his son 100% ownership of their company. Giving his 80% share in the company would result in a $1.5 million tax due on redemption. Greg’s team was able to avoid the $1.5 million tax and introduce asset protection by having the father creator a grantor trust instead. “By creating a grantor trust, the father was able to sell his shares under the same terms as redemption but save money since no gain is recognized on the sale,” said Greg. “We were also able to integrate asset protection into the structure and procure the recurring tax and attest services.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Incorrect Accounting Methods Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Shareholder GENNARO DIBELLO has widespread experience in all areas of tax and business planning associated with closely held companies, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1987. During a routine review of one of our client’s operations, Gennaro’s team identified something that wasn’t very routine at all. They discovered that the client was using multiple incorrect methods and calculations for computing tax depreciation for their fixed assets. Gennaro met the client to discuss the issue, presented a solution to correct the problem, quantified the results, and implemented the changes resulting in a favorable adjustment of nearly $4.5 million. Gennaro’s expertise and eye for detail was critical in helping this client fix a problem they didn’t even realize that they had. “We’re good at identifying opportunities or exposures that aren’t on our clients’ radars,” Gennaro said. “It’s not necessarily what we were originally retained to do, but while we’re executing our engagements, we’re always looking for new ways to help our clients and minimize their tax burden.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees' Passwords Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment. Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure. One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client’s unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. “We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Complex Business Evaluation Case. Big Thinking: Dispute Settlement And Control Of The Business. With Schneider Downs since 2014, shareholder TOM PRATT has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation and financial reorganization. Tom’s team was involved in a complex and contentious business evaluation dispute between our client, who was the controlling shareholder, and a non-controlling shareholder. The dispute included allegations of fraud, self-dealing and mismanagement of entities against our client. We worked with our client’s outside legal counsel to help them respond to both the valuation issues and, importantly, refute the allegations being made against him. Our diligent and objective work assisted in the settlement of the dispute, and our client purchased the interests of the non-controlling shareholder prior to going to trial. “We’ve seen just about everything you can see when it comes to disputes between business partners,” Pratt said. “So we know what to look for and what analysis and evidence will help our clients.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance. Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees. Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans. While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Liquidity Issues For A Local Company. Big Thinking: New Ways To Predict And Control Cash Flows. Shareholder STACI BROGAN has more than 20 years of public accounting experience. Her areas of expertise include helping not-for-profit clients, publicly traded registrants, and clients with complex governance structures. One of Staci’s clients was struggling with cash flow issues and wasn’t sure how to better manage their liquidity. But Staci’s team had an in-depth knowledge of the company and a clear understanding of their operations. Through detailed benchmarking of the company’s financial results as compared to their peers, a template was created to better project cash flows and positively impact key ratios. “In addition to benchmarking performance, we were able to provide the client with an analysis to evaluate a key contract,” Brogan said. “This allowed them to negotiate better terms for the organization which also helped with their liquidity.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: The Tax Implications Of Overseas Valuations. Big Thinking: $1 Million In Tax Savings. Shareholder MARY RICHTER has more than 20 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 2002. She has expertise with domestic and international tax planning, state tax nexus, tax credits, accounting for income taxes, and specific transaction planning and implementation. One of Mary’s clients was reorganizing their overseas operating structure and wanted to move certain assets to different jurisdictions. The client had been purchased by a Private Equity group and called us about updating a valuation we had previously done for the business. In addition to working through the valuation questions, we were able to identify an opportunity to revise their restructuring plan to avoid taxation of a significant portion of the transactions. “By asking questions, having a strong understanding of their needs, and collaborating with the client, we were able to save them roughly $1 million in taxes,” Mary said. “Plus, our plan enabled them to generate future tax deductions overseas to offset the current cost of restructuring. We also saved them substantially on fees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Shareholder DON APPLEGARTH has more than 26 years of public accounting experience and is the practice leader of the Schneider Downs Accounting, Assurance and Advisory Services department. He has experience serving companies in a variety of industries, including but not limited to manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, and natural resources. Don’s team had an ongoing audit engagement with a large manufacturing company that ran two subsidiaries as if they were separate companies. This resulted in disparate accounting, human resources and IT functions. In addition to providing traditional audit and tax services, Don tapped the expertise of Schneider Downs’ Technology Services, Risk Advisory Services, and Human Resource experts to present a comprehensive back office consolidation plan. “We conducted a comprehensive back office assessment of technology, processes, and a skills assessment of existing client personnel,” Applegarth said. “Leveraging strong relationships with the owner and key decision makers, the client trusted our multi-disciplinary team to come up with an effective back office implementation that ended up saving the company more than $600,000 annually. The client knew there would be savings, but they were extremely pleased with the amount of savings, new synergies, and tangible benefits to the Company’s operations going forward.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. A part of Schneider Downs since 1988, JAY MEGLICH provides auditing and consulting services to a variety of businesses and tax-exempt organizations. While speaking with a client, the conversation turned to tax reporting for retainages held under contract. Jay suggested the client have a follow up meeting with the tax team to look into this issue in more detail and review the overall method of reporting that was being used for income tax reporting purposes. After changing their accounting methods, we filed amended returns for open tax years and were able to get the client a significant refund on prior year’s returns. Plus, this new favorable reporting method was implemented going forward. “It’s always satisfying to help clients find new and unexpected savings,” Meglich said. “This client was then able to leverage the cash flow into financing that assisted them in expanding their operations and eventually to the purchase of a larger facility to continue their growth.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: Inefficiency In Data Extraction And File Conversion. Big Thinking: Use Proprietary Software To Do What Once Took Days In Just Hours. Shareholder TED PETTKO has extensive experience with public and privately owned companies from a diverse group of industries, and he’s been with Schneider Downs since 1997. Ted’s team implemented a solution for a client who had an ongoing need to extract data from one platform and enter it into another. The manual process they had in place was not only cumbersome and time consuming, but it also resulted in an unclean format. Using proprietary data analysis software, IDEA, the team helped the client extract an entire year of information into a clean format in a matter of hours. Previously, it had taken the client several days to perform the extraction. “Our efforts on behalf of our client enhanced their timeliness and efficiency,” Pettko said. “Using data analysis software in the audit profession gives us the ability to extract information in a fraction of the time, summarize the data and produce high-level analytics to support our audit opinion. Ultimately it’s a win-win.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Family-owned Business Needing Tax Advice. Big Thinking: $1.4 Million In Eligible Deductions. Shareholder MARK DIPIETRANTONIO has been with the firm since 1995 and brings extensive experience in all areas of tax planning, research and compliance. When Mark was introduced to a new client, he learned through the course of the conversations about the nature of the business, their clients, and most interestingly, that they were not utilizing all of the tax deductions available in this specific industry. After some research, we determined that they were eligible for large deductions in excess of $1.4 million dollars, which had a huge impact on this family-owned business. “It felt great to be able to deliver such positive and unexpected news to this small business owner,” DiPietrantonio said. “By immediately amending the tax returns for the prior years in which the statute of limitations had not closed, we were able to secure a significant refund for them.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Limited Employee Benefit Plan. Big Thinking: Increased Contributions And Employee Retention. Shareholder JOE BRUCE has more than 21 years of public accounting experience since joining Schneider Downs in 1996. He has expertise with a variety of clients including construction, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas industries, and employee benefit plans. One of Joe’s clients had a successful business and was interested in contributing more to their retirement accounts. However, the client was limited by the existing employee benefit plan structure and IRS contribution limitations on their existing structure. Joe’s team was familiar with the structure of their existing plan and offered to do an analysis of their options. “The Schneider Downs Retirement Plan Solutions Group suggested a cash balance plan and provided an analysis to the business owners which quantified the impact and provided options to allow the client to evaluate the direction they were most comfortable moving forward with.” Bruce said. “The client elected to adopt the cash balance plan and was able to significantly increase contributions into the owners’ retirement accounts. This also enhanced the quality of the retirement benefits for their employees, which in turn helped improve employee retention.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: New Rules For Business Deductions. Big Thinking: New Tax Planning Strategies To Save $300,000. Shareholder EVAN OGRODNIK has been with Schneider Downs since 2005 and is one of our experts in tax compliance and planning, accounting, and financial reporting matters. Evan’s team always worked closely with our clients’ accounting group and Schneider Downs‘ audit team. When the IRS changed the rules on the deductibility of repairs and maintenance versus capitalization of assets, a group of Schneider Downs’ tax specialists performed a deep-dive on the technical rules of this change to develop tax planning strategies for their clients.  In one particular instance, through extensive analysis of the client’s fixed asset ledgers as well as those of related-party commercial rental properties, we were able to find tax savings of approximately $300,000. “Communication with our clients is always critical,” Ogrodnik said. “Our understanding of new, complex regulations, knowledge of our client’s business and internal workings, and the trust the client had in our experts, allowed us to take advantage of tax rules and garner significant deductions.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls. Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices. Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services. One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global – one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world – and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. A tax shareholder with more than 25 years of private and public accounting experience, CHRIS MCELROY joined Schneider Downs in 2017 and advises clients in diverse sectors, including consumer products and retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and distribution. Chris’ team went to the aid of a family-owned retailer/franchisor that needed to reduce its tax burden to better align with the long-term vision for the business. Schneider Downs’ shareholder-led service model positioned the team to have a sophisticated understanding of the client’s objectives and leverage opportunities afforded by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We helped the client implement a structure to get requisite cash flows to the owners while taking advantage of favorable corporate tax rates, non-U.S. tax planning, and other tax provisions such as QBI and FDII,” said McElroy. “We were able to reduce their overall annual global tax burden by nearly 15% as a result.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service. Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:5.625rem;--padding-block-end:5.625rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background), .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8 > .elementor-motion-effects-container > .elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://schneiderdowns.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bg-question.png");background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8, .elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8::before{--border-transition:0.3s;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--display:flex;--flex-direction:column;--container-widget-width:calc( ( 1 - var( --container-widget-flex-grow ) ) * 100% );--container-widget-height:initial;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;--container-widget-align-self:initial;--align-items:center;--gap:0.75rem 0.75rem;--background-transition:0.3s;--padding-block-start:0rem;--padding-block-end:0rem;--padding-inline-start:0rem;--padding-inline-end:0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 .sd-icon{font-size:5.1rem;color:#FFFFFF;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-29e5bbd1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0rem 0rem 0.5rem 0rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-224098a .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:200;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7{text-align:center;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-420612f7 .elementor-heading-title{color:#FFFFFF;font-size:1.06rem;}.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4ccff9d6 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:3rem 0rem 0rem 0rem;}@media(max-width:1170px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-774d02e8{--padding-block-start:3.125rem;--padding-block-end:3.125rem;--padding-inline-start:1rem;--padding-inline-end:1rem;}}@media(min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:41%;}}@media(max-width:1170px) and (min-width:568px){.elementor-2184 .elementor-element.elementor-element-593af2b3{--width:100%;}} Have a question? Ask us! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible. Ask Us Read More >Read Less < Do you need help readying your company for a sale? Email me directly here. ### SD Standard The relationship between Schneider Downs and our clients is based on trust. We know our clients have a choice of service providers, and we’re proud that they have selected our firm. The SD Standard is our commitment to honor that trust. Schneider Downs pledges to each and every client that our baseline standard for meeting their needs will be to provide best-in-class service. This is called the SD Standard, and it represents our commitment to providing Big Thinking with a Personal Focus. ### Audio Schneider Downs Audio Clips Business AdvisorsJoel RosenthalWhat should you look at if you are considering buying a company?What is Forensic Accounting?What are some common Fraud Schemes?What are some common Fraud Indicators?How can Financial Modeling help a business?What are the reasons to get a valuation of a company?What methods are typically used to conduct a valuation of a company?What are some key areas that are considered when doing a valuation of a company?Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LPSchneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC.Peter LiebermanHow does a buyer determine how much my business is worth?What is a seller note?Schneider Downs Technology AdvisorsPatrick ArmknechtWhat are the signs that my software is not meeting my company’s needs?What should I look for when selecting a technology vendor to handle a software implementation?What are the keys to a successful software implementation?Schneider Downs Wealth Management AdvisorsNancy SkeansWhat is my best option for funding my child’s college education?How much should I have in an emergency cash fund?Should the surging budget deficit create concerns about inflation?Should I pay off my mortgage before retirement?Should I borrow against my retirement savings to pay for my child’s college education?What is a reasonable return expectation for the stock market? Schneider Downs Tax AdvisorsTimothy AdamsIs my business filing returns for all tax types due?Is my business taking advantage of state tax credits, incentives and grants that may be available?Is there a way to mitigate or limit taxes owed due to non-filing?Is my organization holding any unclaimed property?What is Fin 48 for Private Companies?What do state budget deficits mean for your company?What are tax amnesty programs? ### Media Center Media Center Schneider Downs is pleased to accommodate media requests for interviews or background information. Media inquiries can be directed to Alicia Furlan. For inquiries regarding specific topics, the following professionals are available for interviews and speaking engagements: Schneider Downs & Co. Steven Thompson and Christopher McElroy Tax Advisory Services Justin Steele State and Local Tax (SALT) Stephen Worth Assurance Advisory Services Staci Brogan (Pittsburgh) Trevor Warren (Columbus) Risk Advisory/SOX James B. Yard Wealth Management Derek Eichelberger Retirement Planning/ Employee Benefit Services Jason M. Lumpkin Technology Advisory Services Eric Wright Investment Banking Peter J. Lieberman Business Advisory Services Adam Goode For more information on our industry group contacts, visit our Industries section. Audio Archive > ### Build Back Better Update Center TAX REFORM 2022 – BUILD BACK BETTER TECHNICAL ARTICLES SUGGEST A TOPIC Tax Reform 2021 - Build Back Better: Status Update as of December 22, 2021 It appears that the Build Back Better legislation is, at best, being put on hold until after January 1, 2022… Read More > Tax Reform 2021 - Build Back Better: Status Update as of December 9, 2021 Not much has changed since the last post to our tax blog. The Build Back Better bill is still parked… Read More > Tax Reform 2021 - Build Back Better: Status Update as of November 15, 2021 On Monday, November 15, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).  This bill is separate… Read More > Tax Reform 2021 - Build Back Better: President Biden`s Updated Framework as of October 28, 2021 As we noted in our recent letter on October 25, The Tax Evolution Continues article, President Biden and democratic leaders in… Read More > Tax Reform 2021 - Build Back Better: The Tax Evolution Continues, October 25, 2021 Update As we enter the last week of October, the movement on proposed tax legislation appears to be shifting faster than… Read More > Introduction to Tax Reform 2021 – The Proposed “Build Back Betterâ€_x009d_ Legislation For the better part of two years, U.S. taxpayers have been hearing about more changes to federal tax law (over… Read More > Sort by Most Recent Most Viewed Categories Authors Advanced Search 401(k) Plans American Jobs Plan American Rescue Plan Act Audit Automobile Benefits Business Advisory Business Process Optimization Business Valuation CARES Act Construction Consulting Coronavirus Corporate Finance Cybersecurity Data Analytics Digital & Technology Due Diligence Emerging Technology Energy & Resources ERISA Estate Planning Exit and Succession Planning Fraud Government Healthcare Higher Education Human Resources Internal Revenue Service International International Tax Loans Manufacturing Mergers and Acquisitions Not-for-Profit Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Private Client Services Private Equity Professional Services Public Companies R&D Tax Credit Real Estate Restaurants Retail Risk Advisory/Internal Audit Schneider Downs SD Medallion Services SECURE Act 2 Services for Private Equity Firms Small Business (SBA) State and Local Tax Tax Tax Impact Tax Policy Tax Reform TCJA Transportation & Logistics Wealth Management Women in Business A | B | C | D | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z Author Search ENTER Allen W Wassel Allen Wassel Alyssa Brunatti Amy Lehner Audrey Hendarsah Austin Nace Brandon Deal Brett Cubellis Brian Webster Brianna Lundy Brittany Becker Carl D. 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Darpino Nathan Johnstonbaugh Nneoma Njubigbo Phyllis Tedesco Raimee Gordon Richard Pirollo Robert Mele Robin S. Murphy Ryan Bianco Ryan DeDominicis Ryan R. Deatrick Ryan T. Broze Sarah Hoagland Sarah R Piot Schneider Downs Professional Sean Griffin Shad Fagerland Stephen D. Thimons Stephen R. Worth Steven A. Barber Susan Paulauskas Taylor Mahan Theodore M. Pettko Tom Pratt Trevor P. Warren Tyler Brose Woodrow Morris Xiaoyan Li Zachary Zeigler Tax, Transportation & Logistics Chad Kort | 09.26.2024 New Per Diem Rates Announced for the Transportation Industry – Can Your Company Use This as Another Driver Retention Tool? The IRS recently released Notice 2024-68, which increased the special per diem rates for 2024… Read More Tax Robin S. Murphy | 08.27.2024 Is Lobbying by Tax-Exempt Organizations Permissible? The United States is in the midst of an election season, which brings discussions, debates… Read More Tax, Tax Policy Schneider Downs Professional | 08.19.2024 2025 U.S. Open Presents Opportunity for Oakmont Residents Turn your home into a lucrative rental during PGA tournaments with the Augusta Rule. Discover… Read More R&D Tax Credit, Tax Mayera Iqbal | 08.19.2024 IRS Relaxes Documentation Requirements for Claiming R&D Tax Credits on Amended Returns Since January 10, 2022, the IRS has required that taxpayers provide supplementary information beyond the… Read More Tax Jennifer C Doering | 08.19.2024 Connelly v. United States In May, I wrote about a case before the U.S. Supreme Court with potential estate… Read More Construction, Tax Janelle Merlo | 08.19.2024 The Interaction between Section 174 Capitalization Requirements and Section 460 Long-Term Contracts Under the Percentage-of-Completion Method Before 2022, taxpayers who incurred research and experimental (Section 174) costs could fully deduct them… Read More Tax McKenna Pope | 08.14.2024 IRS Makes Free Tax Filing Program Permanent The Internal Revenue Service recently announced it would be expanding its free tax filing program,… Read More Tax, Tax Reform James Sayre, Cache Heidel | 08.12.2024 Pennsylvania NOL Limitation Changes On July 11th, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed and Governor Shapiro signed the 2024-25 fiscal… Read More Energy & Resources, Tax Ryheem Dove | 08.06.2024 Total Impact Fees Collected – Another Large Decline The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced that the annual distribution from impact fees collected for… Read More Energy & Resources, Tax Colton Lutz | 08.05.2024 The Impact of PA Senate Bill 654 on the Oil & Gas Industry in Pennsylvania On July 11, 2024, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro approved PA Senate Bill 654 as part… Read More 1 2 3 4 5 … 67 RESOURCESHR 5376 Rules Committee Release: Committee on AgricultureBuild Back Better Proposed Reconciliation BillJoint Committee On Taxation's Greenbook - 5.10.2021Joint Committee Taxation Report on Build Back BetterAICPA Comment Letter on Proposed Tax Legislation – 10.1.2021H.R. 5376 Build Back Better ActHELPFUL LINKSThe White House Build Back Better AgendaTax Foundation’s Build Back Better Act: Details and Analysis of the $3.5 Trillion Budget Reconciliation BillHouse Budget Committee Build Back Better ResourcesBrookings’ What is Reconciliation in Congress?USAGov – How Laws are Made ### Webinar: BI360 -The Complete Business Intelligence Suite When: January 16, 2014 10:00AMSchneider Downs & Co. invites you to attend this informative webinar!BI360 provides a complete Excel and web-based Reporting, Budgeting, Dashboard and Collaboration solution with a preconfigured Data Warehouse that integrates to all of your data sources for complete insight!  Because BI360 comes with out-of-the-box integration it takes only a fraction of the time to implement compared to other Business Intelligence solutions.  Join us for a free webcast where attendees will see how to:Easily design reports with the modern BI360 Excel interfaceEmpower decision makers to 'run' their own reports and drill down for analysisDrive efficiencies with collaborative budgeting and reporting that enable dialogue and analysisCreate at-a-glance dashboards with no technical expertiseConsolidate many data source into one system, the BI360 Data Warehouse, for integrated reporting and analysisJoin us and learn how you can help your organization increase productivity, insight and informed decisions and decrease manual keying and inaccuracies by making the move to BI360, the next-generation, integrated business intelligence solution.Thursday, January 16, 201410:00 AM - 11:30 AM ESTRegister Today!If the above link does not work, please copy and paste the following URL into your browser. https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/231242118 ### Events Schneider Downs Events Upcoming Past Events No upcoming events SOC 2 Compliance: Key Steps to Success in 2024 Webinar January 25, 2024 2023 CPE Month Webinar Series December 5, 2023 Securing Success: Cybersecurity Strategies and IT Risk Compliance for Retailers Amidst Changing Rules November 15, 2023 Tee Off Against Cancer – 2023 Men Wear Pink Fundraiser October 18, 2023 Guest Bartending – 2023 Men Wear Pink Fundraiser September 19, 2023 ESG Data and Greenwashing: Key Considerations for Retailers September 14, 2023 View More Events ### Video Library Video Library Resource Type All Resources Types Our Thoughts On Events Quick References Remote Learning Videos Categories All Categories 11-K Extensions 401(k) Plans Affordable Care Act (ACA) American Jobs Plan American Rescue Plan Act Audit Audit GAAP Audit/Tax Automobile Benefits Business Advisors Business Process Optimization Business Restructuring Business Valuation CARES Act CECL Compensation Studies Construction Consulting Continuity Coronavirus Corporate Finance CPE Eligible Webinars Cyber Cyber Security Cybersecurity Data Analytics Digital & Technology Digital Transformation Due Diligence Emerging Technology Energy & Resources ERISA ESG Estate Planning Estate Tax Exit and Succession Planning Financial Services Fraud Fraud/Investigative & Forensic Accounting Global Government Health Care Higher Ed Higher Education Human Resources IFRS Impairment Industry Specific Internal Revenue Service International Internship IT Risk Advisory Large Companies Lease Accounting Leases Litigation Support Loans Manufacturing Marketing Mergers and Acquisitions Modern Workplace N NFP Cash Flow Not-for-Profit OMB Release Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Personal Finance Presentations & Webinars Private Client Services Private Equity Professional Services Public Companies Publicly Held Company Real Estate Restaurants Retail Retirement Plan Participant Education Retirement Solutions Risk Advisory/Internal Audit Sarbanes-Oxley Schneider Down Services and Solutions Schneider Downs Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors Videos SD Medallion Services SECURE Act SECURE Act 2 Services for Private Equity Firms Small Business (SBA) SOC SOC 2 State and Local Tax Stimulus Package Tax Tax Impact Tax Policy Tax Reform TCJA Technology and Data Solutions Third Party Risk Management Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2021 Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022 Transaction Advisory Services Transportation & Logistics Wealth Management Webinars Women in Business Working at Schneider Downs Search Displaying 57 results Which cyber maturity framework is right for us? Videos Which cyber maturity framework is right for us? Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022 Big Thinking Personal Focus Videos Big Thinking Personal Focus Working at Schneider Downs Digital Transformation Solutions Videos Digital Transformation Solutions Technology and Data Solutions What is business email compromise and why is it so lucrative for threat actors? Videos What is business email compromise and why is it so lucrative for threat actors? Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022 Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors Careers Videos Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors Careers Working at Schneider Downs Estate Planning Videos Estate Planning Schneider Down Services and Solutions Tax Credits & Incentives Videos Tax Credits & Incentives Schneider Down Services and Solutions What exactly is a Purple Team Assessment and how does it work? Videos What exactly is a Purple Team Assessment and how does it work? Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022 Pre-tax vs Roth Contributions Videos Pre-tax vs Roth Contributions Retirement Plan Participant Education 1 2 3 4 5 … 7 Stay In-The-Know Sign up for our email newsletter to receive all the latest news and views right in your inbox. E-mail CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Sign up ### Remote Learning Remote Learning from Schneider Downs Schneider Downs takes great pride in providing useful presentations and webinars to help organizations learn more about strategic tools and opportunities. Browse our list of free webinars to find your next great idea. Resource Type All Resources Types Our Thoughts On Events Quick References Remote Learning Videos Categories All Categories 11-K Extensions 401(k) Plans Affordable Care Act (ACA) American Jobs Plan American Rescue Plan Act Audit Audit GAAP Audit/Tax Automobile Benefits Business Advisors Business Process Optimization Business Restructuring Business Valuation CARES Act Case Studies CECL Compensation Studies Construction Consulting Continuity Coronavirus Corporate Finance CPE Eligible Webinars Cyber Cyber Security Cybersecurity Data Analytics Digital & Technology Digital Transformation Due Diligence Emerging Technology Energy & Resources ERISA ESG Estate Planning Estate Tax Events Exit and Succession Planning Financial Services Fraud Fraud/Investigative & Forensic Accounting Global Government Health Care Higher Ed Higher Education Human Resources IFRS Impairment Industry Specific Internal Revenue Service International Internship IT Risk Advisory Large Companies Lease Accounting Leases Litigation Support Loans Manufacturing Marketing Mergers and Acquisitions Modern Workplace N NFP Cash Flow Not-for-Profit OMB Release Our Thoughts On Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Personal Finance Presentations & Webinars Private Client Services Private Equity Professional Services Public Companies Publicly Held Company Quick References Real Estate Restaurants Retail Retirement Plan Participant Education Retirement Solutions Risk Advisory/Internal Audit Sarbanes-Oxley Schneider Down Services and Solutions Schneider Downs Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors Videos SD Medallion Services SECURE Act SECURE Act 2 Service Overviews Services for Private Equity Firms Small Business (SBA) SOC SOC 2 State and Local Tax Stimulus Package Tax Tax Impact Tax Policy Tax Reform TCJA Technology and Data Solutions Third Party Risk Management Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2021 Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022 Transaction Advisory Services Transportation & Logistics Videos Wealth Management Webinars White Papers Women in Business Working at Schneider Downs Authors All authors Abigail Sickafuse Abigail Turnbull Adam Costa Adam J. Goode Alexa Xenakis Alexander Papson Alexandra Vander Molen Alicia Furlan Alissa M. Garcia Allen W Wassel Allen Wassel Allie Thompson Alyssa Brunatti Alyssa Fudala Amy Lehner Andrea Pfaadt Andrew Jackson Andrew Trettel Andrew Wherley Andrew Widmer Angela Danielle Morris Anthony J. Margiotta Anthony Milan Asher Passalinqua Athena Walton Audrey Hendarsah Austin Nace Bailey Williams Ben Stock Benjamin Tjoelker Bernie Rafferty Bill Deller Bob Whalen Brandon Deal Brandon Embreus Brendan Leech Brett Cubellis Brian W. Matthews Brian Webster Brianna Lundy Bridget Pike Brittany Becker Brooke Florian Cameron Latham Carl D. Scharf Carl Kriebel Carley Taslov Carol Murray Carrie Urey Catherine Martz Chad Kort Charlotte Garraway Chelsea Jackson Chelsea Sarnowski Chloe Vaught Christian Johnson Christian Wheeler Christopher Cerda Christopher Kosty Christopher L Watson Christopher Veitch Clay A. Penrose Colten Oakley Colton Boring Connor Bigelow Corynn Moore Courtney Moriarty Dan OToole Dan R. Nesbit Dan Riske Daniel Hooven Daniel Napierkowski Daniel P. Phillips Daniel Struth Danielle Jacobs Danielle Miceli Danielle Strobel Danny White Dave Snyder David C. Brinkman David James David Murphy Debra Ann Ries Debra Stockdale Del Wilmot Dennis R. Mowrey Derek Eichelberger Derek J Godwin Derek Pugliese Domenic Eannace Donald B. Applegarth Donald Eckrod III Donna Wolfson Doug J. Morally Ed Kremmel Edward R. Friel Elena Faurie Elizabeth Beck Elizabeth Rhodes Emily Monda Emmalee Nerantzis Eric M. Fair Eric M. Wright Erin Haase Erin M. Puko-Wilking Eugene M. DeFrank Evan C Ogrodnik Frank A. Wisehart Frank E Dezort Gabriel Zisk Garrett LaBrosse Gary Muggli Gennaro J. DiBello George E. Adams Gina Trulick Greg McGuire Gregory L. Allison Haddae Allen Han Jumashov Hannah Windhorst Harley Stuebgen Hayley Planitzer Heather A. Haemer Henry J. Szymanski Holly L Russo Isaac McKinley Isabella Meese Jack Steve Jack Stewart Jacob Dixon Jacob Katz Jake Busshaus Jake Gentile James Moyer James Sayre Jared Kurz Jason Cetra Jason M Lumpkin Jason M Reljac Jason Staley Jay R. Meglich Jeanne M. Barrett Jenna M Zelenski Jenna Risacher Jennifer C Doering Jennifer Zatchey Jeremy Matelan Jessica Chin Jessica L. Miller Jessica Murtha Jessica Wenger Jessica Wingertsahn Jim Gilboy Joe Bruce Joe Tritschler Joel M. Rosenthal John Sullivan John Waybright Jonathan Grim Jonathan Rice Jordan Schofield Jordan Toohey Joseph Carna Joseph DeAugustino Josh Gailey Joshua McFall Joshua Zimmerly Josie Mills Justin Mudryk Justin Premich Justin Steele Justin Wolford Kaitlin Pack Kari Tallarico Owens Karl Bixler Karlye N. Rowles Katherine Kwan Kayla Huston Kelci Winters Kelly Murphy Kevin Atkins Kevin Begley Kevin M. Davis Kimberly Griffith Kimberly L James Kimberlyann Davis Kira Waugaman Kirk Mitchell Kristen Sorice Kristyn Stang Kyle R Zeller Lara E Fuller Laria Moore Lauren E. Weddell Lindzee Nicholson Logan Kowcheck M. Michele Milheim Mackenzie J. Peterman Madeline Adamczyk Maggie Havelka Maggie Welsh Mailiis Simovart Marc P. Brdar Marcy King Maria D. Stromple Maria Stuvek Mark A. DiPietrantonio Mark Riley Marko Zivanov Mary D. Richter Matt Biggs Matt Hartman Matt McNeal Matthew Cavanagh Matthew Nace Matthew R. Kraemer Matthew Rozanski Megan Krull Megan Muller Melanie M. LaSota Melissa Gallo Michael Divens Michael Hart Michael Maloney Michael P. Scalamogna Michael Rocco Michael Valek Michael Vizzini Michael W. Darpino Michael Withrow Mike Bucci Mike Winsko Miles Gibson Morgan Crawford N Nancy L. Skeans Nathan Johnstonbaugh Nathaniel Novacco Nick Lagnese Nick Lombardo Nick Seiler Nickolas DeLisio Nicolas Leone Nicole Miller Nneoma Njubigbo Noelle Harrold Patricia M. Warrick Patrick B. Armknecht Patrick Kelly Patrick Kerns Patti Giudici Peter Frauen Peter J. Lieberman Phyllis Tedesco Rachel Turnbull Raimee Gordon Raymeir Williams Rebecca Hoffman Rebecca Yan Reilly Oliverio Richard Pirollo Robert L. Morgan Robert Mele Robin S. Murphy Roger Spears Ron Wollett Ross Alessandro Ryan Bianco Ryan DeDominicis Ryan R. Deatrick Ryan T. Broze Samuel J. Becherer Sarah Hoagland Sarah R Piot Sarah Schauble Sarah Walker Sarah Zwiener Schneider Downs Professional Scott Walton Sean Fogarty Sean Griffin Sean McCann Sean P. Smith Sean Thomas Seth Robertson Shad Fagerland Shan Zhou Shane M. Gastecki Staci L. Brogan Stephen Bish Stephen D. Thimons Stephen R. Worth Steven A. Barber Steven D. Thompson Stu P. Lawson Susan M. Kirsch Susan Paulauskas Tarun D. Reddy Taylor Anderson Taylor Mahan Theodore M. Pettko Thomas Yoder Tim Martin Timothy M. Wolfgang Tom Pratt Tom Springer Trevor P. Warren Trudie E. Kozar Tyler Brose Varun Devulapalli Woodrow Morris Xiaoyan Li Zach Cicchini Zachary Zeigler Search Displaying 67 results Securing Success: Cybersecurity Strategies and IT Risk Compliance for Retailers Amidst Changing Rules Remote Learning Securing Success: Cybersecurity Strategies and IT Risk Compliance for Retailers Amidst Changing Rules CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific ESG Data and Greenwashing: Key Considerations for Retailers Remote Learning ESG Data and Greenwashing: Key Considerations for Retailers CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific Inside a Ransomware Attack: Chronicles of a Rapid Responder Remote Learning Inside a Ransomware Attack: Chronicles of a Rapid Responder CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific 2023 Not-for-Profit Symposium Remote Learning 2023 Not-for-Profit Symposium CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific Tools and Strategies for Financially Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Remote Learning Tools and Strategies for Financially Distressed Institutions of Higher Education CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific Third Party Servicers and Higher Education Institutions - How to Navigate the New DOE Guidance Remote Learning Third Party Servicers and Higher Education Institutions - How to Navigate the New DOE Guidance CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific Timely Tax Topics for Retail and Restaurant Businesses Remote Learning Timely Tax Topics for Retail and Restaurant Businesses Audit/Tax, CPE Eligible Webinars 2023 Employee Benefits Forum Remote Learning 2023 Employee Benefits Forum CPE Eligible Webinars, Industry Specific 2022 CPE Month Webinar Series: Consulting Update Remote Learning 2022 CPE Month Webinar Series: Consulting Update CPE Eligible Webinars, Wealth Management 1 2 3 4 5 … 8 ### Transportation & Logistics Transportation and Logistics Services At Schneider Downs, we go the extra mile and are in it for the long haul when it comes to serving clients in the transportation and trucking industry.The Transportation & Logistics industry group includes assurance, tax, technology and management consulting professionals who combine their individual expertise to serve transportation and logistics companies throughout the United States. For more than 30 years, we have worked with multiple large clients in the top 100 and continue to provide innovative solutions to help our clients reach their strategic goals.We meet on a regular basis to review and analyze issues central to this industry and understand the issues facing you today. We possess the capabilities and industry expertise to provide our clients with state-of-the-art technologies and timely communication of the most current and pervasive legislative and regulatory changes impacting the industry.Transportation & Logistics Industry ServicesAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive solutions to our transportation and logistics industry clients including:BUSINESS ADVISORYServices include compensation studies, profitability and operations management, business restructuring, litigation support, captive insurance, fuel hedging and driver retention strategies. Learn moreCYBERSECURITYServices include penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, ransomware security, phishing simulations, and digital forensics and incident response. Learn moreEXIT PLANNING AND SUCCESSIONServices include exit planning and succession strategy consulting, family business transitions, owner and business readiness assessments, deal killers, ESOP and gifting to individuals or trusts. Learn moreRISK ADVISORYServices include SOC reporting, third-party risk management, internal audit sourcing and co-sourcing, risk assessments, business process optimization and IT risk advisory. Learn moreTAX ADVISORY SERVICESServices include tax planning and compliance, income tax accounting (ASC 740), State and local tax (SALT), cost segregation, and credits and incentives (Federal, state, R&D, etc.). Learn moreSD DIGITALServices include ERP lifecycle solutions, intelligent automation, data analytics and lease accounting software. Learn moreTRANSACTION ADVISORYServices include business valuation, due diligence and quality of earnings (buy-side/sell-side), and investment banking. Learn more.Additional Transportation & Logistics ServicesAudit and AssuranceData PrivacyEmployee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)Estate and Succession PlanningExcise & Motor Fuels TaxPCI DSS ComplianceR&D Tax Credit for Transportation & LogisticsRetirement SolutionssimpLEASE Accounting SoftwareState and Local TaxThird-Party Risk ManagementTransportation & Logistics AffiliationsWe are active members of industry-related associations including the American Trucking Association, National Accounting and Finance Council, Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, Pittsburgh Traffic Club, Ohio Trucking Association, Columbus Region Logistics Council and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (Columbus Chapter).   Transporation & Logistics Industry Resources Schneider Downs Transportation & Logistics Articles Transportation & Logistics Resource CenterTransportation & Logistics Industry LinksAmerican Trucking Association’s National Accounting and Finance CouncilOhio Trucking AssociationPennsylvania Motor Truck AssociationTransport Topics Online About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.  For more information on additional industries we serve please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > ### Retail & Business-to-Consumer Retail and Business-to-Consumer Services Retailers must have access to a business partner that understands the nuances and complexities of the industry and the dynamic of the Retail & Business-to-Consumer environment in which they operate. Competition in the market can be fierce, and we are here to help.We have experience working with several regional, national and international organizations, and we possess the knowledge and capability to provide value to any entity within the industry. At Schneider Downs, we strive to maximize the potential of our clients’ operations, while growing revenue and reducing costs.As one of the largest firms in the tri-state region, we know the value of personal focus and are a PCI Certified Quality Security Assessor. We began serving retail clients in 1956, and today, our practice has more than 20 individuals with retail experience serving more than 50 B2C clients across all of our practice disciplines.Each day, we are interacting with retailers in the region, and we are proud to say that our client list includes a broad spectrum of companies that have a consumer orientation and focus.Retail & Business-to-Consumer Sectors We ServeWe understand the unique challenges Retailers & Business-to-Consumer entities face and have experience serving clothing retailers, convenience stores, department stores, discount stores, entertainment companies, restaurants, furniture distributors, the hospitality industry, jewelry stores, wholesalers and specialty stores.Retail & Business-to-Consumer Industry Services:At Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive services to our Retail & Business-to-Consumer services clients including:Accounting AdvisoryAudit and AssuranceBusiness AdvisoryCost SegregationCybersecurityInternational TaxPCI DSS ComplianceSD CapitalSD Digital State and Local Tax (SALT)simpLEASE Lease Accounting SoftwareTax Credits and IncentivesThird-Party Risk ManagementWealth Management  Retail & Business-to-Consumer Industry Resources Retail and Business-to-Consumer Overview Schneider Downs Retail Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning CenterAbout Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.  For more information on additional industries we serve please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   OUR THOUGHTS ON R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Real Estate Tax, Accounting and Advisory Expertise for Real Estate ProfessionalsThe real estate industry demands specialized expertise in its technical, financial, and operational aspects. Schneider Downs is a trusted advisor, delivering specialized tax, accounting, and advisory services to help clients manage the risks and opportunities associated with income taxes, property taxes, green incentives, depreciation, and gains upon sale, while ensuring compliance with critical deadlines and optimizing cash flow.As strategic business advisors, we provide comprehensive consulting and investment expertise to help clients tackle complex challenges, raise capital, structure deals and identify new opportunities. Whether it’s optimizing operations, securing financing, or facilitating mergers and acquisitions, our team works closely with clients to drive growth and maximize value.Our unique blend of tax, consulting, and investment expertise enables us to deliver comprehensive solutions throughout the real estate lifecycle, which is why national owners, developers and investors trust Schneider Downs.Real Estate Tax AdvisoryWe help real estate clients maximize ROI and deal performance starting with pre-development or pre-acquisition tax advisory and planning to maximize tax benefits and improve future cash flow.Our approach focuses on structuring transactions to leverage tax credits, incentives, and deferral strategies, including like-kind exchanges, green building initiatives and opportunity zone investments, ensuring clients optimize their tax position while enhancing investment returns.Real Estate Tax Credits and IncentivesWe help real estate clients assess federal, state, and local tax credits and incentives, including those from the Inflation Reduction Act, historic preservation, and clean energy programs, to maximize funding and bridge any gaps.Real Estate Attest ServicesSchneider Downs provides tailored attest services to help real estate companies ensure financial accuracy and regulatory compliance, such as financial institution covenants or your investor agreements. Our audits, reviews, employee benefit plan audits and agreed-upon procedures support transparent reporting, boost investor confidence, and align with industry standards. We perform attest work in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Income Tax Basis or other bases of accounting based upon your unique needs. With deep expertise in real estate accounting and risk advisory, we deliver reliable insights to enhance strategic decision-making. We are the firm of choice for financial statement assurance and providing customized, independent solutions.Real Estate Value Advisory and Investment BankingThrough our partnership with SD Capital, our team delivers comprehensive value advisory, investment banking, and M&A services, maintaining a keen pulse on real estate market trends, deals, and insights.Real Estate Business Consulting and Business SolutionsSchneider Downs offers a wide range of consulting solutions tailored to every stage of the real estate life cycle. We help companies maximize investments and drive bottom-line impact through back-office assessments, digital modernization, and process optimization.Accounting Advisory ServicesBack Office OptimizationDebt Restructuring ReportingDigital ModernizationExchange AdvisoryManaged Accounting ServicesProcess Control AuditsSell-side Financial Due DiligenceTransaction AdvisoryValuation ServicesFrom enhancing efficiency and profitability to providing strategic and financial guidance for transactions, our team delivers the specialized expertise real estate clients demand and deserve.SD DigitalSD Digital's mission is to help businesses discover the power of digital through strategic, efficient and attainable solutions. With a pioneering spirit and client-first mindset, we strive to de-risk, demystify and deliver outcome-focused, iterative solutions that translate technology into transformative change.Data Analytics and Power BIPower BI Enterprise SolutionsDigital ModernizationSD inSiteIntelligent AutomationSimpLEASE AccountingMicrosoft Dynamics ERPSolver Extended Financial Planning & Analysis Ready to Get Started? Contact Us Schneider Downs is a Proud Member of the NAIOP Why Schneider Downs? With our big thinking and personal focus, we provide dedicated real estate advisory services, offering expert guidance and investment insight that clients deserve at every stage of the real estate lifecycle.A Partner at Every StageFrom acquisition to disposition, Schneider Downs offers trusted guidance to help you navigate and succeed in every phase of your real estate journey.Access to the Schneider Downs NetworkWith a strong professional network and specialized teams in capital markets, digital solutions, and advisory, we provide the resources to adapt and thrive in a dynamic real estate market.Proven ExperienceWith decades of hands-on experience, we solve complex challenges and deliver results that drive real estate investment success.Reliable ComplianceWe help clients meet critical tax deadlines and stay informed and compliant with ever-changing regulations.Specialized ExpertiseWe bring deep knowledge of real estate’s financial, operational, and technical complexities across sectors like commercial, industrial, residential, multifamily, student housing, hospitality, and land development.Value-Driven StrategiesOur team maximizes returns through strategic ownership structures, debt optimization profit analysis, and transaction planning.* Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC.Real Estate Resources Schneider Downs Real Estate Articles Schneider Downs Real Estate Industry Overview Schneider Downs Remote Learning CenterAbout Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.  For more information on additional industries we serve please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.  * Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Innovation Transformation: The Ongoing Journey Toward Audit Process Improvement The latest in an ongoing series on the Schneider Downs Audit Practice’s commitment to innovation transformation. As our firm approaches… Read More > OMB Releases 2025 Compliance Supplement The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has officially released the 2025 Compliance Supplement. This is after a draft… Read More > 3 Questions Emerging Technology Companies Need to Ask About SOC Reports In today’s competitive and data-driven business environment, trust is a currency that emerging technology companies cannot afford to overlook. As… Read More > Top Month-End Closing Tips for Dealership Accounting Teams One of the most critical processes for dealership accounting teams is month-end closing. A smooth close requires structure, discipline and… Read More > Investment Corner: Are We In A Bubble? – The Bubble Triangle One of the dominant themes in capital markets over the past few years has been the rise of artificial intelligence… Read More > ### Professional Services Professional Service Solutions Schneider Downs truly understands the needs of your business because we live it every day as a professional service firm. Our success as a firm has been driven by our ability leverage expert knowledge of current best practices, processes and technology across all aspects of our business. We offer your business that same advantage.Key business decisions should not be made in a vacuum. Our “whole client” approach allows us to provide advisory services that incorporate not only your current business needs, but also your ultimate personal and financial goals. We understand the complexity of business decisions and how they impact not only your immediate bottom line, but also future tax implications, employee retention and eventually, exit opportunities. Our team of multidisciplinary experts can help you make efficient, informed decisions that serve all of your goals.In today’s environment, competition can be intense, requiring your strategic focus on your clients and their needs. Let us provide business solutions to allow you to do what you do best.Professional Services Organizations We ServeWe advise a range of professional service organizations, including, but not limited to, advertising and marketing, architecture, consulting, engineering, law firms and technology services.Professional Services SolutionsAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive services to our professional services clients including:BUSINESS CONSULTING Services include reviewing potential acquisitions and sales from both a tax and economic standpoint to determine if a transaction is feasible, succession planning, litigation support, industry benchmarking and forensic accounting. Learn moreRETIREMENT PLAN SOLUTIONS Services include the design and implementation equity incentive plans including phantom equity strategies, qualified retirement plan design, fiduciary guidance, investment advisory and participant education. Learn moreRISK ADVISORY Services include internal audit sourcing, quality assurance review, IT risk advisory, risk assessment, process and control optimization and fraud risk assessments. Learn moreSTATE AND LOCAL TAX (SALT) Services include sales and use tax compliance review/reverse audits, nexus studies including voluntary disclosure, unclaimed property reporting and legislative assistance. Learn moreAdditional Solutions for Professional ServicesAccounting AdvisoryAudit and AssuranceCybersecurityExit and Succession PlanningPrivate Client ServicesSD DigitalTax AdvisoryTransaction Advisory Private Equity Firm Resources Schneider Downs Private Equity Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning CenterAbout Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.  For more information on additional industries we serve please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Private Equity Firm Services Private Equity Firm Services Schneider Downs provides all of the traditional audit and tax services needed by private equity firms and their portfolio companies as well as specialized services including accounting advisory, investment valuations, equity incentive structuring, benefit plan analysis, operational efficiency and risk assessments, cybersecurity and technology solutions.At Schneider Downs, our consultants help private equity firms maximize returns and build value from acquisition through exit. We also assist firms with compliance and accounting and tax regulations germane to your business structure and evolving needs.Private equity firms face many issues from regulations and oversight to ever-changing market conditions that have a significant impact on investment opportunities and returns. With increasing pressures to increase value, private equity firms need experienced business advisors to work with throughout the lifecycle of the fund and portfolio company investments.Creation of the actual fund, including structure, is just the beginning. Schneider Downs regularly assists our private equity firm clients with buy-side due diligence, including the assessment of quality of earnings, working capital and earnout calculations and tax due diligence.Further, our tax professionals help quantify the tax risks and benefits associated with stock versus asset acquisitions and assist sellers in evaluating the after-tax proceeds associated with different transaction structures.Private Equity Firms We ServeOur professionals serving private equity firms include certified public accountants, certified merger and acquisition advisors and certified valuation analysts.Private Equity Firm ServicesTAX ADVISORYServices include tax compliance and consulting, managed tax services, state and local taxes (SALT) and tax transaction advisory. Learn moreACCOUNTING ADVISORY SERVICESServices include outsourced CFO services, technical accounting advisory, accounting for complex transactions and transactional accounting services. Learn moreTRANSACTION ADVISORY SERVICESServices include business valuation, data analytics for financial transactions, due diligence and quality of earnings, exit planning and succession advisory and investment banking. Learn moreSD DIGITALServices include ERP lifecycle solutions, intelligent automation, data analytics and lease accounting software. Learn moreAdditional Private Equity Firm ServicesAudit and AssuranceBusiness ConsultingCybersecurityFinancial AdvisoryExecutive Compensation PlansRetirement Solutions ConsultingInvestment BankingIT Risk AdvisoryRisk AdvisoryTransfer Pricing Studies Private Equity Firm Resources Schneider Downs Private Equity Articles Schneider Downs Newsletters Schneider Downs Remote Learning CenterAbout Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.  For more information on additional industries we serve please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON The Delay with the 2025 OMB Compliance Supplement As we move deeper into fall, many recipients of federal funding find themselves navigating a familiar yet frustrating challenge: the… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: DORA’s Approach to Exit Strategy and Termination What is DORA’s approach and process to exit strategy and termination? In earlier parts of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook… Read More > September 2025 Market Recap U.S. equity markets seemed to have forgotten about the historical context that September has brought for investors. Historically, September has… Read More > 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan: IRS & Treasury Key Updates The 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan (“Plan”), released on September 30, lists projects that the Department of the Treasury and the… Read More > 5 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach What are some practical and proactive steps organizations can take to improve their security posture? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month,… Read More > ### Not-For-Profit Resources Primary Contacts: Kim James CPA, Staci Brogan CPA, Sarah Piot CPA The Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit industry group has compiled the following resources and links that may provide useful tools and information for your organization. Not-for-Profit IRS Resources IRS Governance Check Sheet IRS Governance Guide Sheet Not-for-Profit Industry Resources Board Source Charity Navigator Charity Watch Chronicle of Higher Education Chronicle of Philanthropy Council on Foundations Guidestar Independent Sector IRS Exempt Organizations National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) National Association of State Charity Officials Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations Not-for-Profit Accounting Resources American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Government Auditing Standards Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Not-for-Profit Software Solutions MIP Fund Accounting Sage Fixed Assets SD inSITE simpLEASE Lease Accounting Software About the Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Industry Group Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day. Through integrated service delivery, Schneider Downs understands that not-for-profit organizations, as stewards of charitable assets, are accountable to numerous constituencies: boards of directors or trustees, donors, grantors, regulatory authorities and the public. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/not-for-profit. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Not-for-Profit Not-for-Profit Services Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day.Through integrated service delivery, Schneider Downs understands that not-for-profit organizations, as stewards of charitable assets, are accountable to numerous constituencies: boards of directors or trustees, donors, grantors, regulatory authorities and the public.Gathering the information required to make informed decisions is only the start of the service we provide. What sets our Not-for-Profit Practice apart is a commitment to making sure our clients know how to put this information to use. Through assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services (including not-for-profit fund accounting software), we provide valuable insight to not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and their boards. We understand the challenges of not-for-profit funding and business environments, and we are committed to helping each unique organization achieve its mission.Not-for-Profit Sectors We ServeWe advise a range of not-for-profit organizations, including, but not limited to:Arts and Cultural InstitutionsHigher Education InstitutionsCommunity and Private FoundationsHuman and Social Service OrganizationsReligious and Community OrganizationsAssociations and Membership OrganizationsNot-for-Profit Industry ServicesAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive solutions to our Not-for-Profit clients.AUDIT AND ASSURANCEServices include OMB Uniform Guidance Audit (student financial aid, research and development, USDA loans and other major programs), 403(b) and 401(a) plan audits and compliance assistance, NCAA agreed-upon procedures, compliance audits (RACP, DCED), review of financial reports and tax compliance matters related to endowments and investment portfolios, program profitability studies and bond offering services (taxable and tax-exempt). Learn moreTAX ADVISORYTax Compliance – Services include Forms 990, 990-PF and 990-T preparation and review, federal and state tax exemption requests and compliance, charitable solicitation registration, federal tax audits, FBAR filing analysis, and analysis of alternative investments for foreign information reporting.Tax Governance and Policy – Services include conflict-of-interest policy and annual disclosure requirement analysis, fringe benefit and compensation analysis and review, board education and intermediate sanctions.Auxiliary and Investment Activities – Services include analysis of unrelated business income activities, alternative investment compliance, joint ventures, shared services and affiliate relationships.SD DIGITALServices include software implementation and support focused on not-for-profit solutions (experience with Banner, Datatel, Jenzabar, Oracle, J.D. Edwards, Lawson, Ellucian, Great Plains and more), disaster recovery and business continuity planning, cybersecurity assessments (penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, social engineering, infrastructure assessments and firewall vulnerability assessments) and more. We also provide software solutions for not-for-profit organizations, including MIP® Fund Accounting. Learn moreAdditional Not-for-Profit ServicesAccounting AdvisoryBusiness AdvisoryCybersecurityERISA Plan Audits and ReviewsIT Risk AdvisoryPCI DSSRetirement SolutionsRisk AdvisorySOC ReportingThird-Party Risk ManagementNot-for-Profit Services Industry Resources  Not-for-Profit FAQs Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Resource Library Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center Private Foundation OverviewAbout Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.  For more information on additional industries we serve, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Postcard from the AICPA NFP Industry Conference The 2025 AICPA & CIMA Not-for-Profit (NFP) Industry Conference took place during June 2025. This annual event brought together finance… Read More > Audit and Financial Reporting Considerations Associated with Federal Funding Freezes On January 27, the Office of Management and Budget ordered a pause on the disbursement of certain federal grants, transactions… Read More > Funding Challenges in the Not-for-Profit Industry Funding in the not-for-profit sector is a persistent challenge that affects the ability of an organization to fulfill its mission.… Read More > Tax Exempt Organizations and "The One, Big, Beautiful Bill" Provisions With Potential Impact On Tuesday, May 12, the House Ways and Means Committee released a draft of the Title XI budget reconciliation bill… Read More > U.S. Department of Education Reminds Colleges and Universities of Their Obligations to Help Struggling Borrowers On May 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) issued a “Dear Colleague Letter (DCL)” to institutions of higher… Read More > ### Manufacturing Schneider Downs understands the manufacturing industry at a regional, national and international perspective. From the issues you face at the production level up to your management goals and strategies, our expertise allows us to provide big thinking to operational and technical solutions.Our experience in engineering-based cost segregation studies, state and local tax services, including nexus studies, as well as research and development (R&D) tax credits, provides manufacturers the expertise needed to run their businesses more effectively.Manufacturing Companies We ServeWe have diverse experience in providing customized assurance, tax and consulting services to a wide range of manufacturing entities from smaller, family-owned businesses to large, multiple-facility, publicly traded, multinational companies.Manufacturing ServicesAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive services to our manufacturing clients including:Audit and AssuranceServices include financial statement audits, reviews and compilations, ERISA plan audits and reviews. Learn moreTax AdvisoryServices include domestic and international tax compliance, state income and franchise tax, transfer pricing studies, research and development tax credits and IC-DISC planning. Learn moreSD DigitalServices include software consulting, digital transformation, consultation and implementation, ERP, data security and privacy, electronic time entry and online expense reporting. Learn moreRisk Advisory ServicesServices include business process optimization, data analytics, enterprise risk management, SOX compliance and IT risk advisory. Learn moreBusiness Advisory ServicesServices include accounting advisory, transaction advisory and business consulting. Learn moreAdditional Manufacturing Services Cost Segregation ServicesCybersecurityDigital TransformationInternational ServicesExit Planning and Succession AdvisoryInternational TaxManagement Advisory ServicesProfitability and Operations Management ServicesResearch and Development Tax CreditsState and Local Tax (SALT) R&D Tax Credits for ManufacturersGet an overview of R&D Tax Credit opportunities for manufacturers, highlighting specific qualifying activities that illustrate how routine manufacturing activities can qualify for substantial tax credits, helping businesses offset costs and drive innovation. Download the list Manufacturing FAQ How can I determine if my manufacturing company is eligible for the R&D Tax Credit based on IRS guidelines? If your manufacturing company is developing new or improved products and/or production processes, then it is likely eligible for the R&D Tax Credit. Even companies that are not developing their products, such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but are developing or improving manufacturing processes for their customers may qualify for the R&D credit. An experienced Schneider Downs R&D tax credit professional can help you identify eligible activities and expenses. What strategies can manufacturing companies employ to maximize their R&D Tax Credit benefits? Although there is no specific documentation requirement to claim the R&D credit, companies that are knowledgeable about what types of activities qualify are better positioned to maximize their credit. Some companies utilize time-tracking or job-costing systems, or they track R&D-eligible expenses in dedicated general ledger accounts. When Schneider Downs works with a taxpayer, the first step is understanding their business and identifying qualified activities and expenses. With this knowledge, we can also offer recommendations and suggestions on how to track eligible costs moving forward to improve efficiency, ensure that all activities and expenses are captured, and maximize your R&D Tax Credit. Can R&D Tax Credit consulting firms provide customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of manufacturing companies? Yes, but not all firms do! At Schneider Downs, we tailor our approach to each client and industry. With an extensive knowledge of your industry, we develop a customized strategy to calculate and maximize the R&D credit with an eye towards efficiency and accuracy.Additionally, we prepare documentation to substantiate the claim that is tailored to the client and outlines the specific methodology used for their credit calculation. Be careful–many firms out there prepare R&D Tax Credit claims, but are not public accounting firms, and that comes with risk. With Schneider Downs, your company will receive the “Big Thinking. Personal Focus.” that will enable it to maximize its R&D Tax Credit! If your manufacturing company is developing new or improved products and/or production processes, then it is likely eligible for the R&D Tax Credit. Even companies that are not developing their products, such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but are developing or improving manufacturing processes for their customers may qualify for the R&D credit. An experienced Schneider Downs R&D tax credit professional can help you identify eligible activities and expenses.Although there is no specific documentation requirement to claim the R&D credit, companies that are knowledgeable about what types of activities qualify are better positioned to maximize their credit. Some companies utilize time-tracking or job-costing systems, or they track R&D-eligible expenses in dedicated general ledger accounts. When Schneider Downs works with a taxpayer, the first step is understanding their business and identifying qualified activities and expenses. With this knowledge, we can also offer recommendations and suggestions on how to track eligible costs moving forward to improve efficiency, ensure that all activities and expenses are captured, and maximize your R&D Tax Credit.Yes, but not all firms do! At Schneider Downs, we tailor our approach to each client and industry. With an extensive knowledge of your industry, we develop a customized strategy to calculate and maximize the R&D credit with an eye towards efficiency and accuracy.Additionally, we prepare documentation to substantiate the claim that is tailored to the client and outlines the specific methodology used for their credit calculation. Be careful–many firms out there prepare R&D Tax Credit claims, but are not public accounting firms, and that comes with risk. With Schneider Downs, your company will receive the “Big Thinking. Personal Focus.” that will enable it to maximize its R&D Tax Credit!Read more Manufacturing FAQ Manufacturing Industry Resources Schneider Downs Manufacturing Industry Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center Manufacturing Associations and AffiliationsWe regularly participate in industry forums and conferences and are active members in the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA), Japan-American Society of Central Ohio (JASCO) and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs.About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect manufacturing organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > Accounting for Tariffs As global trade policies continue to fluctuate, many entities are reviewing how tariffs should be accounted for within their organizations.… Read More > The One Big Beautiful Bill: A New Era for Manufacturing Tax Policy How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact the manufacturing industry? The recently enacted OBBB represents a significant shift… Read More > Navigating Tariffs with Onshoring: Tax Benefits for U.S. Manufacturers With most industries, navigating the impact of tariffs continues to be an important topic in the manufacturing industry. This article… Read More > Benefits of Inflation Reduction Act Tax Credits for the Manufacturing Industry The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law August 16, 2022, introduced a series of tax credits that can significantly… Read More > Accounting for Abnormal Production Periods How can inventory costing assessments help manufacturers manage production levels? Manufacturers continued to encounter challenges over the past year in… Read More > Global Manufacturers Turn To IFRS As organizations continue to grow and become more complex, those with locations across the globe have increasingly considered adopting the… Read More > From Concept to Creation – The Impact of R&D Tax Credits for Manufacturing Companies Manufacturers must overcome many challenges to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. From understanding and implementing sophisticated automated technologies… Read More > Worker Safety for Manufacturing Groups Due to the breadth of products coming to us from manufacturing companies, the industry faces wide range of safety issues.… Read More > Downstream Effects of the CHIPS Act on Local Manufacturing in New Albany, Ohio The semiconductor industry is the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones to cars to advanced medical equipment. Recognizing… Read More > Survey on Career Advancement and Women in the Manufacturing Sector In February 2024, The Women In Manufacturing Association and Xometry collectively released the 4th Annual Survey on Career Advancement and… Read More > Technology Enhancements Continue to Infuse the Manufacturing World For the past few decades, there’s been an emphasis on incorporating more advanced technology into the manufacturing process. This directive… Read More > Protect Your Manufacturers: 3 Common Cyber Attack Methods to Watch Out for in 2023 What were the most common cyber attack patterns in the manufacturing industry in 2023?In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we… Read More > How To Identify Supply Chain Vulnerabilities How can companies identify supply chain vulnerabilities to be better prepared for the future?Supply chains have been hit hard by… Read More > Changes to R&D Expense Rules Affecting Manufacturers The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) included a deferred “gift” to manufacturers and other taxpayers in the… Read More > United States Deals with Baby Formula Shortage Over the past few weeks, as you’ve been running errands or completing your grocery shopping, you may have noticed some… Read More > Inflation Tracking and Cost Pass-through Analysis With inflation increasing at 40-year record highs, nearly every business is impacted with higher input costs. Along with supply chain challenges… Read More > An Introduction to Industry 4.0 The fourth industrial revolution is upon us. Better known as Industry 4.0, the digitization of manufacturing, which focuses on interconnectivity,… Read More > Reshoring to Combat Global Supply Chain Disruptions While Covid-related restrictions have been largely lifted and the world is returning to a new normal, the impact of the… Read More > Superfund Excise Taxes Are Back Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Effective July 1, 2022 The reinstated Superfund Excise Tax is effective July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2031, absent extension. The latest reiteration of… Read More > ### International Resources International Industry Resources PRIMARY CONTACTS: Staci L. Brogan CPA The Schneider Downs International industry group has compiled the following resources and links for international organizations. International Accounting Resources Financial Accounting Standards Board International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Japanese Institute of CPAs German Commercial Code (HGB) UK and Republic of Ireland Financial Reporting Council U.S. Tax and Treasury Resources Income Tax Treaties US Customs/Duty Tax US IRS US Social Security US Treasury Reporting Rate of Exchange Foreign Tax and Treasury Authorities Resources Australian Tax Canada Revenue Agency China Tax India Tax Germany Tax Japanese Ministry of Finance United Kingdom Inland Revenue Additional International Resources European Union Website Foreign Exchange Rates Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) U.S. Department of State - Country Pages World Time Zones About the Schneider Downs International Industry Group The Schneider Downs International industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving international companies. We work with clients on all issues related to expanding into international markets and understanding the various accounting, tax and business rules and regulations of each jurisdiction. Learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/international-services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON OMB Releases 2024 Uniform Guidance On April 4, 2024, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the 2024 Uniform Grant Guidance (2024 guidance). The… Read More > Federal Trade Commission Votes to Ban Noncompete Agreements On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a groundbreaking rule (the “Rule”) banning noncompete clauses in employment… Read More > The Impact of Accounting Advisory in 2024: Supplemental Talent for Accounting and Finance Needs How can accounting advisory services address talent and expertise needs? Accounting advisory services play a pivotal role in alleviating accounting… Read More > Schneider Downs Construction Industry Group Annual Summit 2024 On May 6, 2024, the Schneider Downs Construction Industry Group convened for our highly anticipated annual full-day summit. Over 20… Read More > Is Your Company Prepared for the Methane Emissions Charge? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a rule to assess and collect billions of dollars in methane “waste emissions… Read More > The Impact of the U.S. Department of Education’s Final Title IX Regulations What do higher education institutions need to know about Title IX? As of April 19th, 2024, The U.S. Department of… Read More > Postcard from Cyburgh 2024 According to an impressive lineup at the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Cyburgh 2024, communication is key to a successful cyber posture.… Read More > Maximizing Returns: Leveraging R&D Tax Credits in the Energy and Natural Resources Sector The energy and natural resources sector faces an ever-changing landscape of financial pressures, including volatile commodity pricing, regulatory uncertainty, and… Read More > Notice anything different? Visit our new and enhanced website. Previous Next If you’ve visited the Schneider Downs websites (Schneiderdowns.com and sdwealthmanagement.com) recently, you’ve likely noticed some differences. We recently… Read More > The Impact of Accounting Advisory in 2024: Process Optimization for Business Needs How can accounting advisory services transform your business processes? Accounting advisory services play a pivotal role in optimizing business processes… Read More > A Challenge to a Common Estate Planning Tool Reaches the Supreme Court A case with estate planning implications is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court after split decisions at the circuit court… Read More > Maintaining a Disciplined Investment Approach When it comes to investments, it's easy to want to dive right in, but often that mentality can lead you… Read More > The Impact of Accounting Advisory in 2024: Technical Expertise for Complex Needs How can accounting advisory services elevate your financial reporting and compliance efforts? Accounting advisory services play a pivotal role in… Read More > The Biden Administration's Latest Student Debt Relief Program How does the latest proposed student loan debt forgiveness program from the Biden-Harris Administration work? Last Tuesday, the Biden Administration… Read More > Lost in Translation: Ippei Mizuhara Accused of Wire Fraud in Excess of $16M It appears that the most popular baseball player in the world is the victim in a story of deception and… Read More > Investment Corner with Jason & Sean: U.S. Small Cap Equities “History never repeats itself, but it often rhymes.” – Mark Twain The internet is going to change the world. It… Read More > Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1: Top 5 Features The much-anticipated Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Release Wave 1 is finally here, bringing with it a host of new… Read More > 8 Key Considerations When Reviewing User Access What are important considerations when reviewing user access? Organizations not performing regular user access reviews can expose themselves to a… Read More > Master Your Credit Card Strategy: A Guide to Maximizing Rewards and Boosting Your Credit Score Credit card debt has soared to new heights, totaling over $1.125 trillion at the close of 2023, the highest balance… Read More > Enhancing Focus on Risk Management and Consumer Protection Over the past year, regulatory agencies, financial services management teams and board members have had to increase their focus on… Read More > ### Services for Private Equity Firms Services for Private Equity Firms Private equity firms face a number of issues, from increased oversight by stakeholders (lenders, limited partners (LPs), roll-over partners, etc.) to an ever-increasing competitive market with investment opportunities that have to be successful.Just as private equity firms are familiar with the pressures to show returns, Schneider Downs is in helping firms throughout the lifecycle of your fund and portfolio investments. Our diverse team of experienced professionals can help private equity firms at every stage and deliver the trusted guidance to build value from investment by the LPs to that first platform acquisition to exit.Assurance ServicesPrivate equity firms, their funds and portfolio companies face unique audit and accounting challenges based on their structure and typical organizational requirements. Schneider Downs can help firms address these issues, including:Accounting for business combinations, including accounting related to opening balance sheetsAccounting for complex equity structures and debt arrangements, including convertible debt issuancesAccounting for share-based compensation arrangementsAssistance with developing and adhering to revenue recognition policies in compliance with US GAAPEvaluation of impairment of intangible assetsIdentification of internal control issues and discerning and applying industry best practiceTax ServicesTax planning and structuring is essential for private equity firms, and Schneider Downs has the experience and in-depth knowledge to assist private equity firms with tax planning and structuring needs, including:Analysis of uncertain tax positions and potential exposureAssessment of intangibles and amortization, representations, warranties and indemnificationsConfirmation of tax entityConsulting on deal structure (asset, stock or hybrid) and applicable tax implicationsEvaluation of state and local income tax compliance, state sales and use tax exposure and tax attributes (NOLs, credits, etc.)Payroll tax reporting and advisoryPost-transaction tax ServicesSD DigitalSD Digital is dedicated to helping private equity firms’ de-risk and maximize their digital investments, with key services including:ERP System ImplementationSoftware and Technology assessmentsIntelligent AutomationConsulting ServicesThe Schneider Downs Consulting team has the cross-functional business expertise to help private equity firms mitigate risks and maximize value, with key services including:Accounting AdvisoryCompliance Assessments (PCI, HIPAA, etc.)Cybersecurity and IT Risk AdvisoryDue Diligence (Buy-side and Sell-side, Financial and tax)Executive CompensationFraud Risk AssessmentsIT Controls ReviewManaged Accounting ServicesPost-Merger IntegrationValuation Services (of identified intangible assets)Ready to Get Started?For more information on our services, contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.ResourcesServices for Private Equity OverviewAbout Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations in making informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal, and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today's rapidly evolving business environment.Learn more about our Business Advisory services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### International International Services The Schneider Downs International industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving international companies.Many growing companies face the challenges of prospering in the global marketplace. At Schneider Downs, our clients are both domestic and international. We work with clients on all issues related to expanding into and operating within international markets and understanding the various accounting, tax and business rules and regulations of each jurisdiction.Schneider Downs provides a full range of services to entities following U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and other accounting standards. We work with U.S. companies with operations in other countries as well as U.S. components with headquarters outside the United States.Schneider Downs helps clients take full advantage of all their international opportunities and can reach you and your business, no matter where you're located around the globe.International Industry Services:At Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive services to our international clients including:Audit and AssuranceBusiness AdvisoryCybersecurityInternational TaxIT Risk AdvisoryRisk AdvisorySD CapitalSD DigitalAccounting AdvisoryThird-Party Risk Management International Services Industry Resources Schneider Downs International Resource Library Schneider Downs International Services Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center Countries Served About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsThe Schneider Downs International industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving international companies. We work with clients on all issues related to expanding into and operating within international markets and understanding each jurisdiction's various accounting, tax and business rules and regulations.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON IFRS Changes in 2025 The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) continue to evolve to provide greater transparency and comparability of the financial statements between… Read More > Accounting for Tariffs As global trade policies continue to fluctuate, many entities are reviewing how tariffs should be accounted for within their organizations.… Read More > Overview of Accounting for German Entities in the U.S. What are the financial reporting options for German-owned entities looking to establish a subsidiary in the United States (U.S.)? Unlike… Read More > A Collaborative Approach to Internal Audit How has the approach to internal audit changed in recent years? Historically, internal audit is focused on identifying discrepancies and… Read More > Key Risk and Compliance Concerns for Companies Amid Emerging Trade Tariffs What risk and compliance issues can trade tariffs create? Trade tariffs are a known focal point of the new administration.… Read More > Political Risk: An Internal Auditor Perspective How can internal auditors navigate political risks to protect organizational resilience and compliance? In today’s fast-changing global landscape, political risks… Read More > Accounting for Abnormal Production Periods How can inventory costing assessments help manufacturers manage production levels? Manufacturers continued to encounter challenges over the past year in… Read More > Global Manufacturers Turn To IFRS As organizations continue to grow and become more complex, those with locations across the globe have increasingly considered adopting the… Read More > Moore vs. U.S. Update – Supreme Court Rules that Section 965 Mandatory Repatriation Tax is Constitutional In a highly anticipated ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Moore v. United States that the Section 965… Read More > Disclosure Relief for Certain IFRS Subsidiaries The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 19 Subsidiaries without Public Accountability: Disclosures, which… Read More > Significant Reporting Changes for All IFRS Entities The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 18, Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements,… Read More > Pillar Two is Here; Is Your Company Ready? The BEPS Pillar Two tax framework is the culmination of a yearslong initiative undertaken by the OECD and over 135… Read More > E.U. Environmental, Social, and Governance Proposals under CSRD and their Impact on U.S. Companies The European Union (E.U.) has proposed its own set of required disclosures covering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting. The… Read More > Most Schedule K-2 and K-3 Reporting Can Now Be Postponed Until 2022 Tax Return Filing The IRS just announced that it is providing transition relief from Schedule K-2 and K-3 reporting for certain domestic partnerships… Read More > E-filing of New Pass-Through Schedules K-2 and K-3 Starts in March The IRS has announced it will be rolling out the ability to electronically file the new Schedules K-2 and K-3… Read More > Build Back Better Tax Legislation Update – International Tax Changes This article summarizes the proposed changes regarding international tax provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The Build… Read More > Proposed Tax Changes to GILTI In August, the Senate Finance Committee released draft legislation that would overhaul the international provisions of the Tax Cuts and… Read More > IRS Announces New Update Regarding Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures and Section 965 What is Section 965 Tax?In 2017, Congress passed the most significant tax legislation since 1986 – the Tax Cuts and… Read More > Looking for Clarity from the IRS Regarding Foreign Activities? Be Careful What You Wish For! If you own a foreign entity or joint venture, you’re likely familiar with the associated IRS reporting requirements (if not,… Read More > Potential Changes to Certain International Provisions of the Tax Code proposed by the Biden Administration In May, the U.S. Department of Treasury released General Explanations of the [Biden] Administration’s Fiscal Year 2022 Revenue Proposals, which… Read More > ### Higher Education Higher Education Services The Schneider Downs Higher Education industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving institutions from high schools to universities.As one of the largest premier regional accounting and advisory firms serving public and private K-12, colleges and universities, our integrated service delivery ensures that our professionals can offer timely and practical solutions to help institutions meet their operational and compliance needs.Our professionals know that financial and operational challenges are among the top concerns for higher education institutions. They face demands from all levels, while possibly dealing with reduced funding, pressures from the community and Board of Trustees and the challenge of remaining accountable to all parties. By staying abreast of the latest trends, developments and challenges within the education sector, we offer timely and practical solutions to our clients.We work with a variety of unique educational institutions in the sector, including public colleges and universities, liberal arts schools and faith-based entities, and we always take the time to understand the history, mission, people and stakeholders of each institution we serve.Higher Education ServicesAUDIT AND ASSURANCEServices include OMB Uniform Guidance Audit (student financial aid, research and development, USDA loans and other major programs), 403(b) and 401(a) plan audits and compliance assistance, NCAA agreed-upon procedures, compliance audits (RACP, DCED), review of financial reports and tax compliance matters related to endowments and investment portfolios, program profitability studies and bond offering services (taxable and tax-exempt). Learn moreTAX ADVISORY Tax Compliance – Services include Form 990 and 990-T preparation and review, State and local tax exemption and compliance, charitable solicitation registration, Federal tax audits, FBAR filing analysis, international tax issues association with study abroad programs and compensation and benefits design review.Tax Governance and Policy – Services include conflict-of-interest policy and management, fringe benefits and compensation matters, board education and intermediate sanctions.Auxiliary and Investment Activities – Services include unrelated business income activities, alternative investment compliance, joint ventures, transaction analysis and for-profit subsidiaries. SD DIGITALServices include software implementation and support focused on higher education solutions (experience with Banner, Datatel, Jenzabar, Oracle, J.D. Edwards, Lawson, Ellucian, Great Plains and more), disaster recovery and business continuity planning, cybersecurity assessments (penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, social engineering, infrastructure assessments and firewall vulnerability assessments) and more. Learn moreAdditional Higher Education ServicesBusiness AdvisoryConsulting ServicesCybersecurityIT Risk AdvisoryRetirement SolutionsRisk AdvisoryStaffingState and Local Tax (SALT)Third-Party Risk ManagementWealth Management Higher Education Industry Resources Schneider Downs Higher Education Services Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Strong IT General Controls, Smarter Technology: How Smaller Reporting Companies Can Innovate with Confidence Why are strong IT General Controls (ITGCs) essential for smaller reporting companies (SRCs) embracing automation and AI? For Small Reporting… Read More > Accounting for Tariffs As global trade policies continue to fluctuate, many entities are reviewing how tariffs should be accounted for within their organizations.… Read More > Surge in PennDOT and E-ZPass Phishing Scams Targets Pennsylvania Drivers Scammers are targeting Pennsylvanians with fake messages posing as PennDOT, the Turnpike Commission, and E-ZPass. Here’s how to protect yourself.… Read More > You Can’t Pay by Check. Executive Order 14247 “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account” and its Impact on Federal Tax Payments and Refunds Earlier this year, President Trump signed Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments to and from America’s Bank Account. The order mandates… Read More > 5 Ways Smaller Reporting Companies Can Gain Flexibility with SOX Small Reporting Companies (SRCs) can improve SOX compliance by using a risk-based approach to prioritize control testing and allocate resources… Read More > Western Pennsylvania’s Energy Future Western Pennsylvania is once again at the epicenter of America’s energy sector transformation. With vast natural gas reserves and a… Read More > Do You See Ghosts (Students)? Over the past few months, there has been a rise in concern about ghost students. Ghost students are individuals who… Read More > The One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Green Energy Tax Credits Set to Expire There are key provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that have implications on investing in green energy related… Read More > There are key provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that have implications on investing in green energy related… Read More > Benefits of Internal Audit Involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE Implementations What are the benefits of internal audit involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE implementations? As more companies embark on… Read More > The OBBB and Its Impact on the Real Estate Industry What are key tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that may impact the Real Estate and Development… Read More > McBreach: Vendor’s Use of '123456' Exposes 64 Million McDonald’s Job Applicants Would you like your personal data exposed because of a weak password? That’s the one question McDonald’s hiring website forgot… Read More > The HITRUST Journey: The First Four Steps to Expect Before You Certify HITRUST isn’t just a compliance checkbox. It is proof that your organization meets a high standard of security and risk… Read More > Major Provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacting the Trucking Industry, Including Driver Overtime Pay The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, providing significant tax reform and… Read More > Cybersecurity Alert: Critical Zero-day Vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) in Microsoft SharePoint Server A critical zero-day security vulnerability affecting on-premises Microsoft SharePoint servers was recently discovered and reported by multiple sources this past… Read More > Investment Corner: Dollar Pains, Global Gains - The FX Factor in 2025 Market Performance The falling U.S. dollar continues to be the most important driver of multi-asset investing in 2025. The first half of… Read More > The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Makes Two Changes to the Income Tax Reporting of Residential Construction Contracts How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact Residential Construction Contracts? The OBBB made two significant and favorable changes… Read More > How does the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Impact the Energy and Natural Resources Industry? The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) introduced sweeping income tax changes that will significantly affect businesses in the… Read More > One Big Beautiful Bill Expands Section 45X Tax Credit to U.S. Metallurgical Coal Producers As part of the sweeping tax changes introduced in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), metallurgical coal has now been… Read More > Employer Reporting Obligations for Employee Tax-Free Tips and Overtime Compensation The One Big Beautiful Bill introduces new deductions for certain workers, but with them come additional reporting requirements for employers.… Read More > ### Healthcare Healthcare Services The Schneider Downs Healthcare industry group provides assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services to large and small health care organizations and their boards.Healthcare organizations balance the need to operate efficiently and effectively while delivering on the promise of quality care. At the same time, they are challenged to keep up with governmental payers and regulations, as well as the changing technological environment.The Schneider Downs Healthcare industry group serves clients in the dynamic and continually evolving healthcare market segment. Our experienced professionals have a comprehensive understanding of issues facing healthcare organizations today. We understand that healthcare organizations, as service providers building relationships with patients, are accountable to numerous constituencies: boards of directors or trustees, donors, grantors, regulatory authorities and the communities they serve.We understand the complexity of the healthcare business environment and are committed to assisting each unique organization in responding to their needs and challenges.Healthcare Organizations We ServeAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive services to our healthcare clients.AUDIT AND ASSURANCEServices include audits, reviews and compilations including A-133, agreed-upon procedures and internal audit co-sourcing/outsourcing solutions. Learn moreCYBERSECURITYServices include penetration testing, ransomware security services, digital forensics and incident response, compliance and web application penetration testing. Learn moreIT RISK ADVISORYServices include HIPAA compliance assessments, data privacy, PCI DSS compliance, business continuity and disaster recovery planning, SOX audits, SOC reporting and third-party risk management.  Learn moreEMPLOYEE PLAN BENEFITSServices include 403(b) and 401(k) plan management, plan audits, open architecture investment platform, employee education programs and deferred compensation plans, including 457(b) and 457(f) design. We also provide audit and assurance services for employee benefit plans including 403(b) and 401(k) plans. Learn moreTAX ADVISORYServices include 501(r) compliance, not-for-profit taxes, analysis of affiliate boards for Form 990 business and family relationship reporting, identifying reportable transactions with interested persons and analysis of compensation reporting for Form 990 purposes to determine appropriate reporting of compensation among members of an affiliate group. Learn moreAdditional Healthcare ServicesAccounting AdvisoryBusiness AdvisoryBusiness RestructuringExecutive CompensationFinancial AdvisoryRisk AdvisoryStaffingTechnology AdvisoryTax Compliance and ConsultingTax Credits and Incentives Healthcare Industry Resources Schneider Downs Healthcare Services Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: DORA’s Approach to Exit Strategy and Termination What is DORA’s approach and process to exit strategy and termination? In earlier parts of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook… Read More > Ohio Bill 96 Compliance Countdown: What You Need to Know Before the Deadline What is Ohio Bill 96, and what are the key deadlines, requirements, and action steps needed for compliance? Recently, there’s… Read More > September Investment Corner – The Impact of Fed Rate Cuts On September 17th, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced a 0.25% cut to the federal funds rate, lowering the target… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 3 Key Types of Concentration Risk In third-party risk management (TPRM), organizations must address three key types of concentration risk: vendor, geographic and service. Ever struggle… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The Economic Value of HITRUST Certification Does a HITRUST certification offer actual economic benefits beyond just meeting regulatory requirements? In a landscape where compliance investments must… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect manufacturing organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect construction organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > FASB Introduces Policy Election and Practical Expedient Alternatives Related to Credit Losses The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to address the challenges faced when applying the… Read More > The Two Types of Valuation Engagements What are the differences between valuation and calculation engagements? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Statements on Standards… Read More > FBI Issues Warning on Phantom Hacker Scam Targeting Senior Citizens Phantom hacker scams are on the rise, combining fake tech support calls, banking scams, and government impersonation to target victims’… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect transportation and logistics organizations.Understanding these… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect not-for-profit and higher education organizations.… Read More > The HITRUST Journey: The Last Three Steps to Expect Before You Certify This article is part of a series detailing the seven key steps to anticipate on the path to HITRUST certification.… Read More > August 2025 Market Recap The continuation of the market rally in August was driven by strong earnings from tech companies, especially those involved with… Read More > ### Government Government Services Schneider Downs established the Government industry group to address the very specific accounting and financial needs, challenges and requirements of the broad spectrum of public sector entities.Over many years, our expertise in this area has continued to grow, enabling Schneider Downs to emerge as a single course for accounting and consulting needs dedicated to government entities. Our professionals have direct experience working within the sector, which allows us to bring unique and practical insight to our practice and clients.Schneider Downs is an active participant in numerous groups and associations focused on the government sector, including the AICPA Government Audit Quality Center.Government Sectors We ServeWe advise a range of government entities including, but not limited to, boroughs, charter schools, counties, cities, government agencies, municipalities, public schools, private schools, townships and villages.Government Industry ServicesAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive services to our government clients including:Business AdvisoryCybersecurityData AnalyticsForensic and Investigative AccountingIT Risk AdvisoryUniform Guidance Testing and Reporting Retirement SolutionsRisk AdvisorySD DigitalTax AdvisoryWealth Management Government Industry Resources Schneider Downs Government Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: DORA’s Approach to Exit Strategy and Termination What is DORA’s approach and process to exit strategy and termination? In earlier parts of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook… Read More > Ohio Bill 96 Compliance Countdown: What You Need to Know Before the Deadline What is Ohio Bill 96, and what are the key deadlines, requirements, and action steps needed for compliance? Recently, there’s… Read More > September Investment Corner – The Impact of Fed Rate Cuts On September 17th, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced a 0.25% cut to the federal funds rate, lowering the target… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 3 Key Types of Concentration Risk In third-party risk management (TPRM), organizations must address three key types of concentration risk: vendor, geographic and service. Ever struggle… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The Economic Value of HITRUST Certification Does a HITRUST certification offer actual economic benefits beyond just meeting regulatory requirements? In a landscape where compliance investments must… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect manufacturing organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect construction organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > FASB Introduces Policy Election and Practical Expedient Alternatives Related to Credit Losses The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to address the challenges faced when applying the… Read More > The Two Types of Valuation Engagements What are the differences between valuation and calculation engagements? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Statements on Standards… Read More > FBI Issues Warning on Phantom Hacker Scam Targeting Senior Citizens Phantom hacker scams are on the rise, combining fake tech support calls, banking scams, and government impersonation to target victims’… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect transportation and logistics organizations.Understanding these… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect not-for-profit and higher education organizations.… Read More > The HITRUST Journey: The Last Three Steps to Expect Before You Certify This article is part of a series detailing the seven key steps to anticipate on the path to HITRUST certification.… Read More > August 2025 Market Recap The continuation of the market rally in August was driven by strong earnings from tech companies, especially those involved with… Read More > ### Financial Financial Services Schneider Downs’ Financial Services industry group provides financial institutions of all sizes with the expertise to effectively address their needs in risk management, IT security and internal audit.Financial institutions operate in a heavily regulated environment that is experiencing unprecedented regulatory change and technological obstacles. As one of the largest consulting practices in the region, Schneider Downs is well-equipped to help institutions navigate these changes.Our team is an industry leader in strategic risk management, technology risk and organizational improvement that can supplement existing internal audit, risk, consulting and IT teams or act as a full-service solution provider for our financial industry clients.We offer both functional and industry expertise in critical areas of technology risk and leading frameworks, and all team members have significant roles in supporting our financial services clients. Many have worked within the industry prior to joining the firm.This collective experience results in uniquely diverse and deep expertise delivered on each engagement from several subject-matter experts in the internal audit, risk, compliance, data analytics, digital transformation and cybersecurity space. We strive not only to ensure the objectives of our clients are met, but also to identify efficiency and best practice opportunities in all engagements.Financial Services Industry SolutionsAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive solutions to our financial services industry clients.CYBERSECURITY Solutions include penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, digital forensics and incident response, infrastructure assessments and ransomware security services. Learn moreIT RISK ADVISORYSolutions include data privacy and security, disaster recovery/business continuity, systems implementation assurance and FFIEC IT audit and general controls evaluations.INTERNAL AUDITSolutions include audit sourcing and outsourcing, strategic functional assessment and transformation, benchmarking and metrics, robotic process controls automation, quality assurance reviews (QARs) and quality assurance and improvement planning (QAIP).IT COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORKSolutions include GLBA, GDPR, HIPAA compliance assessment, CMMC, PCI, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ISO 27001 and more. Learn MoreRISK ADVISORYSolutions include System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports (readiness, SOC 1, SOC 2 and more) and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) readiness and SOC 1 and 2 assessments. Learn MoreRISK MANAGEMENTSolutions include enterprise risk management assessments, third-party risk management, merger and acquisition risk evaluation and fraud risk assessment. Learn moreFinancial Services Helpful LinksFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC)Federal Reserve BankOffice of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Financial Services Industry Resources Schneider Downs Financial Services Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: DORA’s Approach to Exit Strategy and Termination What is DORA’s approach and process to exit strategy and termination? In earlier parts of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook… Read More > Ohio Bill 96 Compliance Countdown: What You Need to Know Before the Deadline What is Ohio Bill 96, and what are the key deadlines, requirements, and action steps needed for compliance? Recently, there’s… Read More > September Investment Corner – The Impact of Fed Rate Cuts On September 17th, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced a 0.25% cut to the federal funds rate, lowering the target… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 3 Key Types of Concentration Risk In third-party risk management (TPRM), organizations must address three key types of concentration risk: vendor, geographic and service. Ever struggle… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The Economic Value of HITRUST Certification Does a HITRUST certification offer actual economic benefits beyond just meeting regulatory requirements? In a landscape where compliance investments must… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect manufacturing organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect construction organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > FASB Introduces Policy Election and Practical Expedient Alternatives Related to Credit Losses The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to address the challenges faced when applying the… Read More > The Two Types of Valuation Engagements What are the differences between valuation and calculation engagements? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Statements on Standards… Read More > FBI Issues Warning on Phantom Hacker Scam Targeting Senior Citizens Phantom hacker scams are on the rise, combining fake tech support calls, banking scams, and government impersonation to target victims’… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect transportation and logistics organizations.Understanding these… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect not-for-profit and higher education organizations.… Read More > The HITRUST Journey: The Last Three Steps to Expect Before You Certify This article is part of a series detailing the seven key steps to anticipate on the path to HITRUST certification.… Read More > August 2025 Market Recap The continuation of the market rally in August was driven by strong earnings from tech companies, especially those involved with… Read More > ### Energy & Resources Energy and Resources Services The Schneider Downs Energy & Resources industry group provides specialized financial advice and services to our clients in the oil and gas, mining and aggregates, forest products and alternative fuel and energy industries throughout the Columbus and Pittsburgh regions. Our extensive knowledge of industry issues enables us to provide proactive audit, tax and management consulting services.We began serving energy and natural resources clients in 1980 and have experience working with organizations of all sizes and with all types of energy and resource producers and related service providers within the industry. Today, our practice has more than 20 individuals with experience in this industry. We understand the unique challenges this industry faces and have experience serving clients in the forest products industry, mining and aggregates and oil and gas sectors. Our client list includes over 40 clients, including family-owned entities, entities with public/private equity and venture capital investors - as well as those that are local, regional and global. We possess the knowledge and capabilities to provide value to any entity within the industry. Our industry group meets regularly to monitor industry trends and to discuss their impact on our clients. We can then provide timely solutions and advice. Energy & Resources Sectors We ServeOur industry group works with key sectors including forest products, mining and aggregates, oil and gas, and Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale. These sectors have various unique opportunities, such as tax credit and planning opportunities; review of entity structure; review of partnership/operating agreements; depreciation, depletion and amortization accounting and accounting for asset retirement obligations, among many unique and specialized services.Energy & Resources ServicesFOREST PRODUCTSWe can assist your company with mergers and acquisitions, equipment financing, productivity analyses, lease vs. buy decisions for major asset additions, structuring of transactions to gain the most favorable tax treatment allowable and a review of your internal accounting policies and procedures. MARCELLUS AND UTICA SHALESThe Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale gas formations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and surrounding states establishes a significant amount of recoverable gas in this region. These shales have dramatically impacted many industries well beyond just the oil and gas industry. Learn MoreMINING AND AGGREGATES We provide specialized services to mining and aggregate industries including lease vs. buy decisions for major asset additions, structuring of transactions to gain the most favorable tax treatment allowable and a review of your internal accounting policies and procedures. Learn MoreOIL AND GASWe provide specialized services to oil and gas industries including operational matters, mergers and acquisitions and liability concerns. From joint interest billing processing and review of operator overhead charges to tax planning, we provide our clients the solutions needed to be successful. Learn MoreAdditional Energy & Resources ServicesAccounting AdvisoryAudit and AssuranceBusiness AdvisoryCybersecurityInternational TaxSD CapitalSD DigitalState and Local Tax (SALT)simpLEASE Lease Accounting SoftwareTax Credits and IncentivesThird-Party Risk ManagementWealth ManagementEnergy & Resources Associations and AffiliationsWe are active members of the Ohio and Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (OOGA/PIOGA), the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), Marcellus Shale Coalition and Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) and regularly participate in industry forums and conferences. Energy & Resources Industry Resources Schneider Downs Energy and Resource Resources Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON What to Do After the ERISA Deadline: Setting Up for Success Next Year The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) deadline may have passed, but for plan sponsors and fiduciaries, the work is… Read More > 5 Holiday Season Scams to Watch for in 2025 (And How to Avoid Them) Article Summary: 5 Holiday Season Scams to Watch for in 2025 This article outlines five emerging holiday scams, from AI-powered… Read More > Penalty Relief for Employer Reporting of Qualified Overtime and Tips Article Summary: IRS Penalty Relief for 2025 Tip/Overtime Reporting The IRS issued Notice 2025-62, designating 2025 as a transition year… Read More > 5 Accounting Priorities for Dealerships as We Close 2025 The 2025 AICPA Dealership Conference highlighted meaningful shifts in how dealerships are structuring and supporting their accounting functions. With staffing… Read More > Innovation Transformation: Unleashing a New Audit Experience We are actively redefining audit excellence through continuous investment in next-generation technologies and team empowerment. As the leader of our… Read More > Fighting Fraud with AI: Turning the Tide In recent years, generative AI has made for enabling high-profile deepfakes and impersonation scams. Schneider Downs is proud to be… Read More > AI and the Future of Fraud Risk Management Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the fraud landscape at an unprecedented pace. For organizational leaders, staying informed is not optional—it’s imperative.… Read More > The Dark Side of Generative AI in 2025: Voice Cloning With the capabilities of generative AI tools becoming so widely available, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between what’s real… Read More > 5 Operational Priorities for Dealerships as We Close 2025 Operational conversations at the 2025 AICPA Dealership Conference focused on helping dealerships strengthen efficiency, protect profitability and keep employees engaged… Read More > Reopening the Government Doesn’t End the Risk: What Internal Audit Should Do Next Today is November 12, 2025, and the longest government shutdown is U.S. history is one step away from coming to… Read More > October 2025 Market Recap The S&P 500 has now posted six consecutive monthly gains, while the NASDAQ has extended its winning streak to seven.… Read More > When Physical Theft Becomes a Cyber Story: Lessons from the Louvre When I first saw headlines about a daytime robbery of 100 million dollars’ worth of French Crown Jewels from the… Read More > Managing the Challenges of M&A During and After the Federal Government Shutdown Government contractors have faced significant uncertainty in 2025. Despite initial hopes of an invigorated Federal Government contracting environment that would… Read More > 5 Red Flags That Could Be Hurting Your Dealership’s Financial Health Strong financial controls are critical to protecting a dealership’s profitability and long-term growth. Many dealerships operate with lean accounting teams… Read More > 4 Ways Managed Accounting Helps Your Business Succeed Managed accounting, also referred to as outsourced accounting, helps businesses save money, gain expert financial guidance, and scale with confidence.… Read More > JLR Cyber Breach: Business Interruption Insurance Coverage Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) detected a devastating cyberattack on August 31st that took technology systems offline, resulting in halted manufacturing… Read More > Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Over… Now What? As another Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close, many companies are packing up their posters, taking down reminders, and… Read More > Why Strategy Matters: Unlocking Organizational Value Through a Strategic Internal Audit Function A well-developed strategy can transform the internal audit function from a compliance checkpoint into a trusted advisor that drives organizational… Read More > Business Risk by the Numbers: What Leaders Should Be Watching in 2026 Explore the key business risks shaping 2026, from talent and workforce challenges to cybersecurity, fraud, AI, and ownership transitions. Numbers… Read More > Coal vs. Natural Gas: Market Prices and Future Outlook As of late 2025, the energy market reveals a stark divergence between coal and natural gas in both pricing and… Read More > ### Emerging Technology Emerging Technology Services Trusted Advisory for the Complex Emerging Technology Industry At Schneider Downs, we understand the ever-changing landscape of the emerging technology industry. Our clients range from innovative start-ups to established leaders in fintech, SaaS, hardware-as-a-service and healthcare technology as well as many other tech-driven businesses.Schneider Downs offers strategic guidance and financial expertise to support your tech company’s growth from the challenges of complex funding structures of early-stage companies to the unique revenue streams of mature companies.Emerging Technology Core SolutionsAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive solutions to guide your growing business through every phase of your journey: Audit and Assurance Accounting Advisory ServicesFinancial Statement Audits, Reviews and CompilationsPublic Companies AssuranceAll Audit and Assurance Services Business Advisory Accounting Optimization AssessmentsBack-office AssessmentsBusiness Process AssessmentsDue DiligenceManaged Accounting ServicesOutsource CFO ServicesValuationAll Business Advisory Services IT Risk Advisory and Compliance All IT Risk Advisory and Compliance ServicesCybersecurityIT Compliance FrameworksIT Risk AssessmentsPCI DSS CompliancePenetration TestingSOX Solutions Accounting Advisory ServicesFinancial Statement Audits, Reviews and CompilationsPublic Companies AssuranceAll Audit and Assurance ServicesAccounting Optimization AssessmentsBack-office AssessmentsBusiness Process AssessmentsDue DiligenceManaged Accounting ServicesOutsource CFO ServicesValuationAll Business Advisory ServicesAll IT Risk Advisory and Compliance ServicesCybersecurityIT Compliance FrameworksIT Risk AssessmentsPCI DSS CompliancePenetration TestingSOX Solutions Tax Advisory Compliance and ConsultingCredits and IncentivesManaged Tax ServicesResearch and Development Tax Credit StudiesState and Local Tax AdvisoryAll Tax Advisory Services Digital Innovation Data Analytics & Power BIDigital ModernizationIntelligent AutomationMicrosoft ERP SolutionsAll Digital Innovation Services Investment Banking Baseline Readiness AssessmentsSales, Divestitures, Leveraged Buyouts and RecapitalizationsValue Advisory and RealizationAcquisition AdvisoryAll Investment Banking Services Compliance and ConsultingCredits and IncentivesManaged Tax ServicesResearch and Development Tax Credit StudiesState and Local Tax AdvisoryAll Tax Advisory ServicesData Analytics & Power BIDigital ModernizationIntelligent AutomationMicrosoft ERP SolutionsAll Digital Innovation ServicesBaseline Readiness AssessmentsSales, Divestitures, Leveraged Buyouts and RecapitalizationsValue Advisory and RealizationAcquisition AdvisoryAll Investment Banking Services R&D Tax Credit for Software and TechnologyGet an overview of R&D Tax Credit opportunities for the software and technology industry, highlighting specific qualifying activities that illustrate how routine activities can qualify for substantial tax credits, helping businesses offset costs and drive innovation. Download the list Why Schneider Downs?Schneider Downs understands that every industry has its own unique challenges, and we’re committed to providing the insight, innovation and experience necessary to navigate them. As a trusted business partner, we are dedicated to helping your emerging technology companies and leadership achieve their goals through tailored solutions and expert guidance.Industry ExpertiseSeasoned professionals with extensive experience working with emerging technology companies across various industries.Comprehensive SupportOne-stop provider with skilled advisors offering customized operations and technical solutions.Practical SolutionsPractical, hands-on approach to delivering tailored services, solutions and strategies.Tax Credit ExpertiseSpecialized R&D experts to help maximize tax benefits and growth while supporting innovation.Emerging Technology Resources Our Thoughts On Blog Emerging Technology FAQs Emerging Technology Service Overview Resource CenterAbout Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique.For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. OUR THOUGHTS ON 5 Essential Software Considerations for Start-Up Companies in 2025 An often-overlooked yet crucial concern for start-ups is ensuring that they have the right software and, if not, deciding on… Read More > Internal Control Considerations for Startup Companies Learn why internal controls are one of the most important, yet often overlooked, business considerations in the startup world. Startups… Read More > Common Issues Encountered During Buy-Side Due Diligence in Software Companies When conducting buy-side due diligence for a software company, several common issues often arise. These issues can significantly impact the… Read More > Value of Outsourced Accounting Services Start-ups facing the challenges of limited resources and the need to focus on core business objectives can significantly benefit from… Read More > Key Strategies for Navigating Sell-Side Due Diligence in Software Companies Sell-side due diligence is a critical process for software companies looking to attract potential buyers or investors. When going through… Read More > Equity vs. Debt Financing Considerations When looking at the potential options of equity versus debt financing, companies should assess the impact on the financial statements… Read More > The Pittsburgh Technology Council Tech 50 Awards I had the privilege of attending my first Tech 50 Awards banquet on Thursday, November 14, which celebrated the most… Read More > Fraud Risk Management for Emerging Technology Companies Earlier this year, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners published Occupational Fraud 2024: A Report to the Nations (Report to… Read More > Startup Company Valuations – A Cornucopia of Challenges and Some Factors to Consider Valuing a startup company can create a cornucopia of challenges. Unlike valuations for an established business, a valuation analyst does… Read More > Accounting Considerations for Healthcare Startups Explore the unique accounting challenges faced by healthcare startups. From funding to compliance, learn how accounting impacts the success of… Read More > Are EVs Just A Fad? If you were alive in the late 1990s, you either wanted, or knew a kid who wanted, a Furby. For… Read More > Pay to Play In the world of venture capital and startup financing, "pay-to-play" provisions have become increasingly popular. These provisions are designed to… Read More > Cap Table Basics for Startup Companies When is the last time you checked on your capitalization table? A startup company’s cap table typically is constantly evolving.… Read More > Compilation, Review or Audit? What Early-Stage Companies Should Know Does my emerging technology company need a compilation, a review or an audit?This is a question that often comes up… Read More > Top Accounting Advisory Needs for Emerging Technology Companies For both true start-ups and mature emerging technology companies, we have seen that there are numerous accounting advisory projects with… Read More > Best Practices After an Equity Raise for Start-up Companies Fundraising is an essential function for any start-up company. And, after undertaking a fundraising event, companies must decide whether to… Read More > Five Tax Considerations for Start-up Companies When it comes to taxes, startup companies often underestimate the significance of tax planning, compliance and the implementation of effective tax… Read More > Pros and Cons of IPO for Early-stage Companies Founders of most early-stage companies need capital. Most initially seek capital from private investors and venture capital firms, which ultimately… Read More > Understanding Leases In Technology Arrangements There are many complex transaction rules impacting technology companies, including Topic 842: Lease Accounting, which could have a significant impact… Read More > New Advances in AI and AI Chatbots May Leave Users Concerned About Data Collection and Privacy The recent release of Snapchat’s new Internal Friend, MyAI, proves just how advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots have gotten… Read More > Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Read Case Study ### Construction Construction Services Our Construction industry group is committed to bringing big thinking and personal focus to help our clients solve the growing list of complex business and accounting problems facing the construction industry.Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, our team continues to provide strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.In Pittsburgh, we serve 8 of the Pittsburgh Business Times’ largest 25 contractors in the region. Our Columbus office serves both a Columbus Business First Top-25 architectural firm and a heavy-highway contractor awarded three of Columbus Business First’s Top-25 largest public construction projects.Our group of professionals spends more than 50,000 hours per year serving construction clients; attends annual national, local and internal construction specific continuing education and meets monthly to discuss trends within the construction industry.Construction Sectors We ServeOur clients include all sizes and types of construction firms, ranging from general contractors to heavy-highway to a host of specialty contractors. We also serve family-owned entities and private equity firms with venture capital investors or local, regional and global public ownership.Construction Industry ServicesAUDIT AND ASSURANCEServices include prequalification reports, joint venture accounting/reporting, IFRS and IAS reporting, accounts receivable management, cashflow forecasting and treasury management involving liquidity and working capital. Learn moreBUSINESS ADVISORYServices include business interruption, data analytics, financial and cash flow modeling, fraud mitigation and business transactions. Learn moreEMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN (ESOP)Services include tax benefit advisory, feasibility analysis and consulting, administration support, and plan design, documentation and implementation. Learn moreEXECUTIVE COMPENSATIONServices include phantom equity arrangements, stock appreciation rights (SAR), incentive compensation plans, non-qualified plans and restricted stock plans. Learn moreSD CAPITALServices include acquisition advisory, capital raising, company sales and divestitures, private equity firm advisory and specialized services for companies with ESOPs. Learn moreTAX ADVISORYServices include voluntary disclosure agreements, cost capitalization deferral techniques, estate planning for business owners, research and development credits and keyman retention and incentives. Learn moreR&D Tax Credits for Construction IndustrySchneider Downs informs clients about R&D Tax Credits that may be available to them, including credits for electrical and plumbing contractors, among others. Review the R&D Tax Credits listed below and contact Schneider Downs to find out if your organization qualifies. R&D Tax Credit for Construction ArchitectureR&D Tax Credit for ConstructionR&D Tax Credit for Electrical ContractorsR&D Tax Credit for EngineeringR&D Tax Credit for Mechanical ContractorsR&D Tax Credit for Plumbing ContractorsAdditional Construction ServicesOur Construction industry group offers a wide range of specialized services including:Cost SegregationCybersecurityDigital TransformationForensic and Investigative AccountingInternational TaxIT Risk AdvisorySD DigitalsimpLEASE Accounting SoftwareState and Local Tax (SALT)Wealth ManagementConstruction Associations and AffiliationsWe are members of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania (CAWP), Master Builders Association of Western Pennsylvania (MBA), National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), Associated General Contractors of Ohio (AGC), Builders Exchange of Central Ohio (BX) and Ohio Contractors Association (OCA). Construction Industry Resources Schneider Downs Construction SME FAQs Schneider Downs Resource Center Construction Industry Services Overview 2023 Construction Pillars to Success About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect construction organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > Tariffs and Construction: 3 Key Challenges Facing the Industry Today Tariffs are having a direct impact on the construction industry by driving up material costs, complicating project budgets and disrupting… Read More > The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Makes Two Changes to the Income Tax Reporting of Residential Construction Contracts How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact Residential Construction Contracts? The OBBB made two significant and favorable changes… Read More > Five Significant Tax Implications of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" on the Construction Industry How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact the construction industry? The OBBB introduced significant income tax-related changes affecting… Read More > FASB Implements Improvement for Joint Venture Formations (ASU 2023-05) According to the Ankura Joint Venture Index, global joint ventures and partnerships in 2024 experienced varied activity. "New deal volumes… Read More > The One Big Beautiful Bill Impact on Construction Industry As of early June, Congress has worked through several iterations of The One Big Beautiful Bill. Here are a few… Read More > No Relief on the Way for Contractor’s Presentation of Retainage Unless you’re new to the accounting industry, chances are you’ve heard phrases like “606” or “Rev Rec” a lot in… Read More > Employee Fraud in Construction: Understanding and Mitigating Risks Former office assistant Kami Elois Power was indicted in January with allegations of embezzling over $1.4 million between 2019 and… Read More > Building the Future: Top 3 Digital Tools Reshaping the Construction Industry How is digital technology enhancing efficiency, improving accuracy, and enabling smarter decision-making in the construction industry?While the primary objective of… Read More > Navigating the Construction Industry: Top Challenges and Innovations for Owners, CEOs, CFOs and Business Advisors As a Shareholder at Schneider Downs, I have had the privilege of working closely with various stakeholders in the construction… Read More > Postcard from the Ohio Construction Conference On Wednesday, March 12, I had the pleasure of attending the Ohio Construction Conference, presented by the Builders Exchange of… Read More > Three Significant Tax Issues Impacting the Construction Industry in 2025 Tax professionals followed the 2024 elections especially close, since from a tax perspective the results are expected to significantly impact… Read More > Contract Bid Preparation – Importance of Actual Costs from Previous Projects During Estimation The process of securing and executing a successful and profitable contract starts in the preconstruction phase by preparing a bid… Read More > Postcard from the Inaugural Women in Construction/Real Estate Networking Dinner Earlier this fall, the women from Schneider Downs’ Construction and Real Estate Industry Groups were pleased to host a networking… Read More > The Most Important Financial Metrics Contractors Should Track to Ensure Profitability Key Indicators for Managing Financial Health For contractors, keeping a vigilant eye on financial metrics is crucial to maintain and… Read More > Advanced Strategies for Year-End Book Preparation in Construction As the fiscal year concludes, construction companies must undertake the meticulous task of preparing year-end books and records. This process… Read More > Recapping the Navigating Strategic Growth in Construction Roundtable On Thursday, September 5th, 2024, the Tower Club in Tyson’s Corner, VA, hosted a highly anticipated SD Capital event, bringing… Read More > The Interaction between Section 174 Capitalization Requirements and Section 460 Long-Term Contracts Under the Percentage-of-Completion Method Before 2022, taxpayers who incurred research and experimental (Section 174) costs could fully deduct them in the year incurred. The… Read More > Opportunities in the Construction Industry for AI and Predictive Data Analytics “Artificial Intelligence is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity.” -Fei-Fei… Read More > Adopting a Digital Mindset Copyright Disclaimer: This article is a repost and not an original work. All rights to the content belong to the… Read More > ### Dealerships Dealerships Schneider Downs has a long history of advising vehicle dealers across the country on accounting, tax and other business advisory matters.Over the course of our 65+ year history, we have had the opportunity to consult in nearly every segment of the dealership business – maximizing cash flows, cost containment, inventory control, reinsurance, financing, or capitalization and more. We understand the critical relationship between the front-end and back-end of your business, and we have earned the trust of our clients through responsive and proactive service. Schneider Downs serves dealers of all sizes from single-point locations to mega-dealerships. Our personalized business approach emphasizes active listening, proactive insights, exceptional guidance and practical solutions to drive results. Our Dealership Services industry group is composed of audit, tax and management consulting professionals who are specifically trained and experienced in matters such as those facing your company. We serve automotive, motorcycle, truck, RV, boat dealerships and more. Our Dealership Industry Group members cross departments and meet regularly to ensure efficiency in the services provided to our clients and discuss issues, regulations and trends affecting dealerships.  Automotive Heavy Equipment Boats Motorcycles RVs Power Sports Trucking Specialized Dealership SolutionsAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive solutions to both individual dealers and dealer advertising associations. Individual Dealer ServicesOur Dealership industry group offers a wide range of specialized services geared to the individual dealer, including:Accounting Advisory ServicesAudit and Assurance ServicesBusiness ValuationsBuy/Sell Planning and Due Diligence AnalysisCompensation StudiesCost Segregation Analysis for Real Estate AcquisitionsEmployee Benefit Plan ServicesEstate PlanningExit Planning and Succession AdvisoryFinancial and Cash Flow ModelingForensic and Investigative AccountingLIFO Consulting and ComplianceLitigation Support ServicesSD DigitalTax Planning and Compliance ServicesDealer Advertising Association ServicesOur Dealership Services industry group also provides accounting, tax and business advisory services to Dealer Advertising Associations, which manage funds used by regional dealership groups to advertise vehicles within their designated marketing areas. Schneider Downs’ services to our Dealer Advertising Association clients include the following: Assistance with annual financial and/or compliance audits, as performed by independent certified public accountants in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer (if applicable)Assistance with incorporation issues, drafting of by-laws and other organizational mattersAttendance and presentation of financial information at periodic Board of Directors’ meetingsDaily Bookkeeping Distribution of financial statements to authorized recipientsFinancial Statements and SchedulesIncome Tax Returns Monthly Bank Statement ReconciliationPreparation and independent tabulation of ballots with respect to elections and other important voting matters of the associationPreparation of federal Forms 1099 Tax advisory matters and assistance with the resolution of Internal Revenue Service inquiriesDealership Associations and AffiliationsTo stay abreast of current trends and challenges facing dealers, our dealership specialists continuously participate in industry-specific conferences and seminars such as the National Auto Dealer Association (NADA) Convention and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) National Auto Dealership Conference. Dealership Industry Resources Schneider Downs Automotive Services Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   OUR THOUGHTS ON R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will… Read More > AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: DORA’s Approach to Exit Strategy and Termination What is DORA’s approach and process to exit strategy and termination? In earlier parts of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook… Read More > Ohio Bill 96 Compliance Countdown: What You Need to Know Before the Deadline What is Ohio Bill 96, and what are the key deadlines, requirements, and action steps needed for compliance? Recently, there’s… Read More > September Investment Corner – The Impact of Fed Rate Cuts On September 17th, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced a 0.25% cut to the federal funds rate, lowering the target… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 3 Key Types of Concentration Risk In third-party risk management (TPRM), organizations must address three key types of concentration risk: vendor, geographic and service. Ever struggle… Read More > The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration… Read More > The Economic Value of HITRUST Certification Does a HITRUST certification offer actual economic benefits beyond just meeting regulatory requirements? In a landscape where compliance investments must… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect manufacturing organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect construction organizations. Understanding these updates… Read More > FASB Introduces Policy Election and Practical Expedient Alternatives Related to Credit Losses The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to address the challenges faced when applying the… Read More > The Two Types of Valuation Engagements What are the differences between valuation and calculation engagements? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Statements on Standards… Read More > FBI Issues Warning on Phantom Hacker Scam Targeting Senior Citizens Phantom hacker scams are on the rise, combining fake tech support calls, banking scams, and government impersonation to target victims’… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect transportation and logistics organizations.Understanding these… Read More > OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect not-for-profit and higher education organizations.… Read More > The HITRUST Journey: The Last Three Steps to Expect Before You Certify This article is part of a series detailing the seven key steps to anticipate on the path to HITRUST certification.… Read More > August 2025 Market Recap The continuation of the market rally in August was driven by strong earnings from tech companies, especially those involved with… Read More > Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Read Case Study Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study ### Service Disruption Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### Privacy Policy Schneider Downs (as defined below) complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU U.S. DPF), the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Swiss-U.S. DPF) as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Schneider Downs has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (EU-U.S. DPF Principles) with regard to the processing of personal data received from the European Union in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF and from the United Kingdom (and Gibraltar) in reliance on the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF. Schneider Downs has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles) with regard to the processing of personal data received from Switzerland in reliance on the Swiss-U.S. DPF. If there is any conflict between the terms in this privacy policy and the EU-U.S. DPF Principles and/or the Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles, the Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) program and to view our certification, please visit dataprivacyframework.gov/. Introduction Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. and its entities (collectively “Schneider Downs,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) take your privacy seriously. We believe it is important for you to understand when, how, and why we collect personal information as you utilize our products and services, use our website, contact us, or interact with us in any manner.This Privacy Policy outlines the scope of our relationship with you and your personal information, and details your rights to control how we use your data. Schneider Downs is committed to compliance with data protection and privacy laws and protecting the privacy of its users, and we endeavor to always be good stewards of your data.This Privacy Policy applies to the collection and use of personal information by Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., Schneider Downs Wealth Management, Schneider Downs Capital, and Schneider Downs Digital. Information we collect Schneider Downs collects certain personal information about our clients, potential clients, and partners. The type of information we collect is based on how you interact with us, including by retaining our services or using our website. Our legal bases for processing your personal information include our legitimate interests in running and promoting our business, the performance of a contract, legal or regulatory obligations, or client consent.We collect information about our users in the following ways:1. Information you give usIn order for you to access certain services and/or products, we may require you to provide us with information that personally identifies you (“Personal Information”). Personal Information may include: (i) Contact Data (such as your name, mailing and e-mail addresses); (ii) Financial Data (such as your account or credit card number); (iii) Demographic Data (such as your zip code, age and income); and (iv) Location Data (such as IP address or geological data).2. Information we collect about youAs is typical of most websites, certain information is automatically collected about the way you use our website. This information helps us improve the quality, usability, and performance of the services we offer to you through aggregate information that does not reveal your specific identity and cannot reasonably be used to identify any particular individual user. Common information we collect may include: IP address, device identifier, browser type, operating system, information about your use of the website, and data regarding network-connected hardware. The information collected is obtained by user input and in the form of “cookies” (a small file containing the address of the website and codes that your browser sends back to the website each time you visit a page to provide the user a more personalized experience.)Our website uses a "metapixel"  to collect anonymous data that helps us understand how visitors interact with our site. This information allows us to improve our website's functionality, content, and user experience.The metapixel collects non-personally identifiable information, such as:IP address (anonymized): Your IP address is immediately anonymized upon collection, meaning it cannot be traced back to you.Browser type and version: To understand browser compatibility.Operating system: To understand device compatibility.Referring URL: The website you came from to reach our site.Pages viewed and actions taken: To understand popular content and user flow.Time and date of visit: For analytical purposes.The anonymized data collected through the metapixel is for internal use only and is not shared with third parties for marketing or advertising purposes.This site also uses Google Analytics in connection with our website to gather data such as age, gender and interests to provide advertising targeted to suit your interests and preferences. Google Analytics collects anonymous information that is not used to identify a particular user. This information helps us better understand how visitors use our website and detect and defend against fraud and other security risks.3. Information we receive from other sourcesWe also may obtain information about you from other sources, including third-party services in order to enhance our ability to provide relevant services and offers to you. Such collection may occur on certain parts of the website that are powered and facilitated by third parties such as the Schneider Downs Client Portal (powered by Suralink), Make A Payment Portal (powered by Pineapple Payments), the Career Portal and Talent Accusation Portal (powered by Cornerstone), Wealth Management Orion Client Portal (powered by Orion Advisor Tech), Wealth Management Charles Schwab Portal (powered by Charles Schwab), Wealth Management 401(k) Plan Portal (powered by SD Retirement Solutions), Wealth Management Elite Money Portal (powered by eMoney Advisor, LLC) and the Wealth Management Fidelity Investments Portal (powered by Fidelity Investments). We will treat such data in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We are not responsible or liable for the accuracy of the information provided by third parties or for third-party policies or practices. Use of the information we collect We collect your data to help us manage our relationship with you, including responding to your requests or queries, meeting our obligations under any contracts we have entered into with you, billing and invoicing, seeking feedback on the services we have provided to you, or providing you with information about other services we offer that are similar to those that you have already engaged or inquired about. We also collect your data for security-related processing (e.g., automated scanning of incoming and outgoing e-mails for viruses), to provide customer support, including to manage your use of services and send customer updates and administrative communications, such as changes to our terms, conditions, and policies. We may also use your data to investigate and prevent fraudulent activities, unauthorized access to our services, and other illegal activities. We may collect your data for any other purposes for which we will notify any impacted clients.We also use your personal information to market to you, including sending you promotional materials or communications regarding services by us, or to send you information which we think may be of interest to you, but only in accordance with your marketing preferences. You will always be able to opt-out of such communications at any time by visiting our Email Preference Center (https://schneiderdowns.com/opt-out/).We collect your personal information to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, including in relation to financial crime laws and regulations and establishing, exercising and defending legal claims. Disclosure of the information we collect We will share and disclose information about you in the following limited circumstances:We will share your personal information with the following Schneider Downs entities for purposes consistent with this Privacy Policy: Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., Schneider Downs Wealth Management, Schneider Downs Capital, and Schneider Downs Digital.We will also share your information with consultants, professional advisers (such as accountants, lawyers and auditors), and certain vendors and service providers to process your personal information on our behalf. These companies are not permitted to use your information for their own purposes and may only handle your data at our express direction. We use these companies to provide products, services, communication, marketing offers, and customer services, among other tasks. We assess the technical and organizational security measures of all third-party service providers Schneider Downs engages to ensure the protection of your personal information.We will also share your data with third-party business partners who sponsor events and other offerings with us. We share personal information with these co-sponsors when you sign up for events or offerings to allow our partners to send you marketing communications and information that may be of interest to you, as permitted under applicable law.We will share your personal information where we have a duty to disclose or share your personal information in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce any contract or other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Schneider Downs, our clients, or others. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to disclose your personal information if we are under a legal or regulatory obligation to do so including to meet security or law enforcement requirements. Security of information We employ various physical, electronic and managerial measures, including education and training of our personnel, which are designed to reasonably and appropriately protect personal data from loss, misuse or unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. These measures include limiting access and using industry best practice controls such as firewalls and encryption for personal data. Personal data collected or displayed through a website is protected in transit by standard encryption processes, but we cannot guarantee the security of information on, or transmitted via, the internet.We retain personal information about you for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or until you notify us to remove you from our database, unless a longer or shorter retention period is required or permitted by applicable law, rule, or regulation. Data Privacy Framework Statement Schneider Downs complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (“EU U.S. DPF”), the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (“Swiss-U.S. DPF”) as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Schneider Downs has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (“EU-U.S. DPF Principles”) with regard to the processing of personal data received from the European Economic Area (“EEA”) in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF and from the United Kingdom (and Gibraltar) in reliance on the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF. Schneider Downs has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (“Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles”) with regard to the processing of personal data received from Switzerland in reliance on the Swiss-U.S. DPF. If there is any conflict between the terms in this Privacy Policy and the EU-U.S. DPF Principles and/or the Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles, the Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Data Privacy Framework (“DPF”) program and to view our certification, please visit dataprivacyframework.gov/. You can also verify our self-certification to the DPF and check the information we have provided by viewing our details on the DPF list.The Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction over Schneider Downs’ compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF.We may transfer personal information to our third-party agents and service providers who perform functions on our behalf as described herein. Where required by the DPF, we enter into written agreements with those third-party agents and service providers requiring them to provide the same level of protection the DPF requires and limiting their use of the data to the specified services provided on our behalf. We take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure that third-party agents and service providers process personal information in accordance with our DPF obligations and to stop and remediate any unauthorized processing. Under certain circumstances, we may remain liable for the acts of our third-party agents or service providers who perform services on our behalf for their handling of personal information that we transfer to them.In some cases, we may transfer personal information to unaffiliated third-party data controllers. These third parties do not act as agents or service providers and are not performing functions on our behalf. We may transfer your personal information to third-party data controllers for the purposes of sending you marketing communications and information that may be of interest to you, as permitted under applicable law. We will only provide your personal information to third-party data controllers where you have not opted-out of such disclosures, or in the case of sensitive personal information, where you have opted-in if the DPF requires consent. We enter into written contracts with any unaffiliated third-party data controllers requiring them to provide the same level of protection for personal information the DPF requires. We also limit their use of your personal information so that it is consistent with any consent you have provided and with the notices you have received. If we transfer your personal information to one of our affiliated entities within our corporate group, we will take steps to ensure that your personal information is protected with the same level of protection the DPF requires.Under certain circumstances, we may be required to disclose your personal information in response to valid requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. We will only do so in accordance with the DPF Principles.Under the DPF, you have rights in relation to your personal data. These include:Information on the types of personal data collected.Information on the purposes of collection and use.Information on the type or identity of third parties to which your personal data is disclosed.Choices for limiting use and disclosure of your personal data.Access to your personal data.Notification of the organization's liability if it transfers your personal data.Notification of the requirement to disclose your personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities.Reasonable and appropriate security for your personal data.A response to your complaint within 45 days.Cost-free independent dispute resolution to address your data protection concerns.The ability to invoke binding arbitration to address any complaint that the organization has violated its obligations under the DPF Principles to you and that has not been resolved by other means.You may have the right to access the personal data that we hold about you and to request that we correct, amend, or delete it if it is inaccurate or processed in violation of the DPF. These access rights may not apply in some cases, including where providing access is unreasonably burdensome or expensive under the circumstances or where it would violate the rights of someone other than the individual requesting access. If you would like to request access to, correction, amendment, or deletion of your personal data, you can submit a written request to the contact information provided below. We may request specific information from you to confirm your identity. In some circumstances, we may charge a reasonable fee for access to your information.In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, Schneider Downs commits to resolve DPF Principles-related complaints about our collection and use of your personal information. EEA, UK, and Swiss individuals with inquires or complaints regarding our handling of personal data received in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF should first contact Schneider Downs at: Privacy Office, Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., One PPG Place, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, privacy@schneiderdowns.com,. 1-877-444-7326In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, Schneider Downs commits to refer unresolved complaints concerning our handling of personal data received in reliance on the EU U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss U.S. DPF to JAMS, an alternative dispute resolution provider based in the United States. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your DPF Principles-related complaint from us, or if we have not addressed your DPF Principles-related complaint to your satisfaction, please visit JAMS EU U.S. Data Privacy Framework Resolution for more information or to file a complaint. The services of JAMS are provided at no cost to you.In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, Schneider Downs commits to cooperate and comply respectively with the advice of the panel established by EU data protection authorities (“DPAs”), the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (“GRA”), and the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (“FDPIC”) with regard to unresolved complaints concerning our handling of human resources data received in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF in the context of the employment relationship.You may have the option to select binding arbitration for the resolution of your complaint under certain circumstances, provided you have taken the following steps: (1) raised your complaint directly with Schneider Downs and provided us the opportunity to resolve the issue; (2) made use of the independent dispute resolution mechanism identified above; and (3) raised the issue through the relevant data protection authority and allowed the US Department of Commerce an opportunity to resolve the complaint at no cost to you. For more information on binding arbitration, see https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/framework-article/D–Binding-Nature-of-Decisions. Information for California residents If you are a resident of the State of California, you have additional rights regarding your personal information under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), specifically:To request that we disclose to you the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of the sources of our information, how we use the information, the categories of any personal information disclosed or sold to third parties, and the categories of third parties to whom such information was disclosed or sold;To request that we delete any personal information we have about you or correct inaccurate personal information;To request disclosure of information collected, shared, or sold;To request to opt-out of the sharing of personal information; andThe right not to be discriminated against because you exercise any of these rights, including by denying services, providing a different level or quality of services, or charging different prices by virtue of exercising these rights.To exercise any of your rights under the CPRA please email us at privacy@schneiderdowns.com or contact us at 1-877-444-7326.1. Collection of Personal InformationThe table below identifies, generally, the categories of personal information (as defined by the CPRA) that we have collected about California residents in the past twelve (12) months. Please note that not all examples listed in the table below are collected from every consumer, and we may not collect all items listed as examples in a particular category. Personal Identifiers A real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, account name, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, or other similar identifiers. Personal Information Categories A name, signature, Social Security Number, physical characteristics or description, address, telephone number, passport number, driver’s license or state identification card number, insurance policy number, education, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information, medical information, or health insurance information. Protected Classifications Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion or creed, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information). Commercial Information Records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies. Internet or Similar Activity Browsing history, search history, and information regarding a consumer’s interaction with an internet website application, or advertisement. Sensory data Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar information Professional & Employment Current or past job title. A real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, account name, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, or other similar identifiers.A name, signature, Social Security Number, physical characteristics or description, address, telephone number, passport number, driver’s license or state identification card number, insurance policy number, education, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information, medical information, or health insurance information.Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion or creed, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information).Records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies.Browsing history, search history, and information regarding a consumer’s interaction with an internet website application, or advertisement.Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar informationCurrent or past job title.2. Disclosure of Personal InformationThe table below identifies, generally, the categories of personal information (as defined by the CPRA) that we have disclosed about California residents in the past twelve (12) months. Please note that not all examples listed in the table below are disclosed, and we may not disclose all items listed as examples in a particular category. Personal Identifiers A real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, account name, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, or other similar identifiers. Personal Information Categories A name, signature, Social Security Number, physical characteristics or description, address, telephone number, passport number, driver’s license or state identification card number, insurance policy number, education, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information, medical information, or health insurance information. Protected Classifications Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion or creed, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information). Internet or Similar Activity Browsing history, search history, and information regarding a consumer’s interaction with an internet website application, or advertisement. A real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, account name, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, or other similar identifiers.A name, signature, Social Security Number, physical characteristics or description, address, telephone number, passport number, driver’s license or state identification card number, insurance policy number, education, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information, medical information, or health insurance information.Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion or creed, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information).Browsing history, search history, and information regarding a consumer’s interaction with an internet website application, or advertisement.3. Sale of Personal InformationSchneider Downs does not sell your personal information to anyone under any circumstances and has not sold any personal information in the past 12 months. Other information Information relating to present or former Schneider Downs personnel is subject to our Confidential Data Policy, which is available to current Schneider Downs personnel on the Schneider Downs intranet site and to former Schneider Downs personnel upon request.Information obtained from, or relating to, clients or former clients is further subject to the terms of any privacy notice to the client, any engagement letter or other similar letters or agreements with the client, and applicable laws and professional standards. Contact information If you have any questions about this Policy or would like to request access to your personal data, please contact us at Privacy Office, Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., One PPG Place, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, privacy@schneiderdowns.com, [1-877-444-7326. Changes to this Policy We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy. Effective date: 01/01/2025Last modified: 01/14/2025 Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### Private Client Services Big Thinking. Personal Focus. Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Tax and Personal Financial Services Learn More Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Learn More Private Family Office Learn More Philanthropy Learn More Wealth Management Learn More Legendary client service for high-net-worth individuals Meet Our Team Get to know our professionals who can lend you their expertise. Learn More INSIGHTS Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Having financial freedom means doing the things you want to do when you want to do them without having to… Read More > Holiday Spending and Budgeting Even though the holiday season is something most of us look forward to, it has a way of sneaking up… Read More > Happier With An Advisor Can working with a financial advisor lead to greater happiness? A recent industry survey strongly suggests that yes, individuals and… Read More > Marginal Well Credit Back to Zero for 2023 Tax Year Just months after declaring the total phase-out of the 2022 Marginal Well Credit, the IRS has released Notice 2023-58, announcing… Read More > The Pros and Cons of I-Bonds Although I-Bonds are a good way to generate tax-free yield in today’s economy, they are subject to penalties if surrendered… Read More > “Constructing” Your Estate to Meet Your Needs As an owner of a construction company, at some point you will need to determine what the next steps are… Read More > Explaining the Transfer/Advance Payment of Clean Energy Credits and Energy Credits Online Registration The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued long-awaited guidance on how customers can elect to transfer New Clean Vehicle… Read More > Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### Consulting Contact Us We want to hear from you. ### Meet the Team Meet Our Team Schneider Downs Consulting Services provides organizations with actionable ideas for achievable solutions. Our arsenal of consulting services is tailored to best fit our clients' needs today and tomorrow. SHAREHOLDERS Patrick Armknecht CPA, CITP Learn More > William Deller Learn More > Eric Fair CISA, CDPSE, CBCLA Learn More > Adam Goode CPA Learn More > John Huckle Learn More > Tony Ielase CISA Learn More > Carl Kriebel CISSP Learn More > Peter Lieberman Learn More > Nicholas Lombardo CPA Learn More > Michael Marasco Brian Matthews Learn More > Carley Taslov CPA Learn More > Eric Wright CPA, CITP Learn More > James Yard CPA, CIA, CISA Learn More > DIRECTORS Phil Farabaugh Michael Fox Heather Haemer John Jennings Brad Miller Jessica Miller Imran Mohiuddin Tyler Reeder James Rumph Holly Russo Steven Thimons Brian Webster ### View All Consulting Services All Consulting Services and Solutions Experienced and practical guidance through the complex issues facing today’s businesses. Schneider Downs Consulting provides a wide range of services and solutions to address critical business needs and challenges for organizations of all sizes and industries. Get the solutions you need through big thinking and personal focus for your organization to thrive.Business Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Business Advisory team empowers organizations to make informed decisions across accounting, financial, legal and operational areas. From the ground floor to the C-suite, we provide strategic guidance to help clients succeed in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.Accounting Advisory ServicesBusiness RestructuringForensics and Litigation ServicesManaged Accounting ServicesServices for Private Equity FirmsTransaction Advisory ServicesValuation ServicesRisk Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Risk Advisory team collaborates closely with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our objective is not only to address risks associated with potential losses but also to implement solutions that add value and ensure minimal disruption to your business.CybersecurityActive Directory AssessmentCloud Security Configuration AssessmentContinuous Cybersecurity Framework AssessmentsDigital Forensics & Incident ResponseExternal Footprint AnalysisFirewall Configuration ReviewIncident Response Plan Development, Testing and TrainingIntrusion Prevention/Detection ReviewIT Risk AdvisoryPenetration TestingPurple Team AssessmentsSocial Engineering AssessmentsThreat HuntingvCISOWeb Application Penetration TestingInternal Audit SolutionsData Analytics for Internal AuditInternal Audit Benchmarking and MetricsInternal Audit Quality Assurance ReviewsInternal Audit Sourcing and OutsourcingQuality Assurance and Improvement PlansStrategic Internal Audit Functional Assessment and TransformationRisk Management and Compliance ServicesCompliance AdvisoryEnterprise Risk ManagementFraud Risk AssessmentMerger and Acquisition Risk EvaluationResponsible AISOC Compliance, Assessments and ReadinessSOX Readiness, Optimization and Program SourcingThird-Party Risk ManagementInformation Technology AdvisoryCMMC Certification and AssessmentsBusiness Continuity & Disaster RecoveryData Governance and ProtectionData Privacy and SecurityDisaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning and Tabletop ExercisesIT Audit and Genera Controls EvaluationsIT Compliance Framework Consulting (i.e. GDPR, HIPAA, PCI, NIST, ISO, etc.)Systems Implementation AssuranceIT Risk AdvisoryCybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)FFIEC IT Compliance AssessmentGDPR ComplianceHIPAA Compliance AssessmentHITRUSTInformation Technology AuditIRS Publication 1075ISO 27001 Compliance AssessmentIT Risk Assessment ServicesNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)Network Device Security Configuration AssessmentPayment Card Industry Data Security Standard ComplianceSAP Audits and ControlsProcess Improvement Consulting Accounting Optimization AssessmentsBusiness Process OptimizationProcess Best Practice and Benchmarking ServicesTransaction AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory team helps companies maximize the success of various business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, minority interest investments, management buy-outs, sale preparation, due diligence, valuations and succession planning.Due Diligence and Quality of EarningsBusiness Restructuring and Turnaround ServicesBusiness Valuation ServicesSD DigitalThe SD Digital practice has the forward-thinking mindset, business acumen and technical expertise to translate technology into transformative change.Custom Development Data Analytics and POWER BIDigital ModernizationIntelligent AutomationMicrosoft Dynamics ERP SolutionsPower BI Enterprise SolutionsSD inSITEsimpLEASE Accounting Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study Our Thoughts On AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the… Read More > Ohio Bill 96 Compliance Countdown: What You Need to Know Before the Deadline What is Ohio Bill 96, and what are the key deadlines, requirements, and action steps needed for compliance? Recently, there’s… Read More > The Two Types of Valuation Engagements What are the differences between valuation and calculation engagements? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Statements on Standards… Read More > FBI Issues Warning on Phantom Hacker Scam Targeting Senior Citizens Phantom hacker scams are on the rise, combining fake tech support calls, banking scams, and government impersonation to target victims’… Read More > Strong IT General Controls, Smarter Technology: How Smaller Reporting Companies Can Innovate with Confidence Why are strong IT General Controls (ITGCs) essential for smaller reporting companies (SRCs) embracing automation and AI? For smaller reporting… Read More > ### Transaction Advisory Services Trusted guidance to create value at every stage of business transactions. Contact Us Today The Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory Team provides the strategy, guidance and services organizations need to create value through all stages of a transaction, including due diligence and quality of earnings, mergers and acquisitions, exit and succession planning, capital raising and corporate finance.With a focus on middle-market organizations, our team has the collective business, industry and technical expertise necessary to help clients understand their options and achieve successful outcomes, whether the goal is buy-side, sell-side or post-merger integration.Our team of experienced consultants work side-by-side with clients to assess, maximize, transform and optimize enterprise value, and most importantly, ensure their best interests are properly represented at every stage of the deal process.Download our Transaction Advisory practice overview for more information. TRANSACTION ADVISORY SERVICES audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.Due Diligence & Quality of Earnings The way a company structures the finances and operations for a transaction can often have a dramatic effect on the success audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.Business Restructuring and Turnaround Services We specialize in mapping the course for financially distressed companies and guiding their way to profitability. audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.Business Valuation Services The necessary insight required to prepare a reasoned and supportable valuation analysis is the product of both significant real-world experience. About Schneider Downs Transaction AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory team helps companies maximize the success of business transactions of all types, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, minority interest investments, management buy-outs, sale preparation, due diligence, valuations and succession planning. Our team consists of interdisciplinary dedicated professionals who provide support across all aspects of transactions.Learn more about our Transaction Advisory Services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Risk Advisory Services Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized solutions to help organizations identify and mitigate risks. Contact Us Today Internal Audit Solutions Learn More > Risk Management and Compliance Services Learn More > Information Technology Advisory Learn More > Process Improvement Consulting Learn More > Cybersecurity Learn More Our Thoughts On Learn More > A company's future depends on its ability to identify and manage risk. Risk is ever-present and always evolving in today’s world and effective risk management is essential to every business.https://player.vimeo.com/video/696683043?h=ab8f4e1e1eOur team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Download the Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Brochure Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### About Schneider Downs Consulting Experienced and practical guidance through the complex issues facing today’s businesses Contact Schneider Downs Consulting About Schneider Downs ConsultingThe challenges facing businesses today are quite different and more sophisticated than at any other time in history, and the pace of change will only get faster.Volatile economic conditions, rapidly evolving cyber threats, complex regulatory requirements, and data overload and constantly changing technology platforms make it challenging to make sound business decisions, or to create reliable business plans for the future.The Schneider Downs Consulting team features experienced professionals across a diverse array of specialties, carefully selected to address the most pressing needs of businesses across all industries. Our team of consultants will guide you through solutions to the problems on your radar, and help you identify those that aren’t. We look forward to helping your organization meet the complex business challenges of today and tomorrow.Download the Schneider Downs Consulting Brochure ### Consulting Services Schneider Downs Consulting Services Carefully curated range of services and solutions for organizations of all sizes Contact us today Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise Schneider Downs Consulting delivers a comprehensive suite of services and solutions tailored to meet the critical business needs and challenges of organizations across all sizes and industries. Our team combines strategic insight with personalized attention to solve your current problems and proactively identify future ones. Business Advisory Business Advisory Contact Us Today In a business world or rapidly changing… Cybersecurity Consulting Cybersecurity Consulting Identify Vulnerabilities. Mitigate Risks. Schneider Downs can help your organization… IT Risk Advisory IT Risk Advisory Managed Accounting Services Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or… Risk Advisory Services Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized solutions to help organizations identify… SOC Services SOC Services Delivering SOC Reports With IT, Internal Audit, And External Audit… Transaction Advisory Services Trusted guidance to create value at every stage of business transactions. Contact… View All Consulting Services All Consulting Services Experienced and practical guidance through the complex issues facing… See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections The Schneider Downs Consulting team possesses a wealth of professional and industry knowledge. Our deep bench of professionals includes certified specialists in financial and transaction advisory, cybersecurity, data privacy, compliance frameworks, risk management and investigative accounting.To support our mission of providing best-in-class service, our culture is dedicated to continuous learning and training, with many of our team members earning credentials and certifications, Download Our Consulting Service Overview ### Tax All Services All Tax Services Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us SCHNEIDER DOWNS TAX SERVICES Schneider Downs’ team of tax services advisors address many of our client’s needs whether they relate to traditional tax preparation and planning services or more specialized services such as state and local or international tax issues. Download our Tax Services Overview to learn more or access the services below for quick reference. Tax Compliance and Consulting Business Tax Individual Tax Not-For-Profit Tax Gift, Trust and Estate Services Managed Tax Services Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Income Tax Provisions - ASC 740 and IFRS Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Abandoned/Unclaimed Property Excise & Motor Fuels Tax Employment Tax Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax Property Tax Sales and Use Tax Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services State Credits and Incentives Tax Advisory Services – International Expatriate Tax Export Incentives FATCA and Nonresident Withholding Foreign Direct Investment in U.S Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring International Tax Reporting and Planning International Withholding Tax Transactional Analysis and Support Services Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions Tax Credit and Incentives Research and Development Credits Cost Segregation Services Benefit Analysis Request PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ) State Credits and Incentives Tax Accounting Methods & Elections Tax Transaction Advisory Due Diligence Exit Planning and Succession Advisory Sales and Purchase Analysis/Structuring and Restructuring Transaction Cost Analysis Tax Services by Industry Automotive Construction Real Estate Manufacturing Higher Education Energy & Resource Not-For-Profit Transportation & Logistics We welcome the opportunity to serve you. Contact us to start the conversation.  Contact Us! About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Transaction Cost Analysis Primary Contacts: Evan C. Ogrodnik CPA, Michael Bowman Maximize Hidden Deductions Related to Transaction Costs Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures are major financial transactions that involve numerous and significant costs and expenses along the way. These fees and expenses can have a major after-tax impact on the final cost of a transaction. Performing a Transaction Cost Analysis (a TCA) can generate significant tax savings opportunities by identifying certain costs and expenses that may be deductible currently, or over time. In addition, a TCA helps manage the tax risks associated with the transaction and the allocation of transaction costs by applying and documenting the necessary due diligence in determining the proper tax treatment of transaction costs. Tax rules generally require capitalization of transaction related expenses, unless certain specific criteria are met to allow current deduction or amortization of these expenses over a prescribed period. Since the effective date of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805 (ASC 805), Business Combinations, there has been a divergence between the treatment of transaction costs for (U.S. GAAP) financial accounting purposes and for income tax purposes. ASC 805 requires all transaction costs to be expensed as incurred. For tax purposes, however, transaction costs might be appropriately expensed as incurred, capitalized as a separate intangible asset, included in the basis of shares acquired, included in the basis of other assets, or included in tax-deductible goodwill. Thus, the key tax question becomes, how does a taxpayer minimize the U.S. GAAP impact on net income and maximize tax deductions from transaction costs to alleviate this difference between "book" and "tax" accounting treatment for such costs? A TCA distinguishes the deductibility and capitalization of costs associated with transactions for income tax purposes. As well as providing documentation for tax return deductions, IRS audit documentation and FIN 48 support relating to these deductions, with proper analysis, certain fees may qualify for an immediate deduction often resulting in significant cash savings. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Due Diligence Due Diligence & Quality of Earnings The way a company structures the finances and operations for a transaction can often have a dramatic effect on the success of a proposed business deal. The purpose of conducting a due diligence review is to minimize any unexpected developments that could occur with the proposed transaction and to maximize transaction value.At Schneider Downs, our seasoned professionals have the knowledge and experience necessary to assist buyers, sellers, investors, private equity firms and lenders in organizing and completing both buy-side and sell-side due diligence reviews. The time and investment devoted to conducting a due diligence review often prevents surprises, purchase price disputes and litigation matters. At Schneider Downs, we are here to support your efforts according to your specific needs and provide you with a timely and accurate assessment of your proposed transaction.Quality of EarningsThe goal of a quality of earnings engagement is to present a clear picture to the buyer of a target company’s financial condition. Our senior business analysts will focus not only on the balance sheet and income statements as presented by the target, but also the underlying quality of those statements. A quality of earnings analysis may be conducted by taking a quantitative and qualitative approach to evaluating the amounts presented to acquire a thorough understanding of EBITDA, working capital and potential adjustments.Buy-Side Financial Due DiligenceAssessing and evaluating the opportunity to acquire a new business needs to be completed with swiftness, precision and discretion. Our professionals in the Business Advisory group at Schneider Downs are highly skilled to help you accomplish exactly that. Our team has decades of experience and has been involved in hundreds of successful transactions. Learn MoreSell-Side Financial Due DiligenceIt has been said that “Luck favors the prepared.” It has also been said that “Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.” What if that’s true? In the Business Advisory group here at Schneider Downs, our experience supports these claims. We have found that companies in the market to sell who have subjected themselves to rigorous sell-side financial due diligence have had better success in closing deals than companies that have not. Learn MoreAbout Schneider Downs Transaction AdvisoryThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory team helps companies maximize the success of business transactions of all types, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, minority interest investments, management buy-outs, sale preparation, due diligence, valuations and succession planning. Our team consists of interdisciplinary dedicated professionals who provide support across all aspects of transactions.Learn more about our Transaction Advisory Services or contact us for more information. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Tax Transaction Advisory Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACT: Evan C. Ogrodnik CPA Recognizing that every transaction is unique, Schneider Downs ensures that a team of highly skilled and responsive professionals with applicable industry and tax technical specializations are assigned to the project. Our team also works with other disciplines within the firm such as valuation experts, technology and technical accounting personnel to provide holistic support for acquisitions and divestitures. We work with public and private companies, PE firms and individuals on large and small transactions. OUR TAX TRANSACTION ADVISORY SERVICES Created with Sketch. DUE DILIGENCE Created with Sketch. EXIT PLANNING AND SUCCESSION ADVISORY Created with Sketch. TRANSACTION COST ANALYSIS Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) Pennsylvania has two types of tax credits related to education. Schnieder Downs help our clients participate in these worthwhile programs, allowing both businesses and individuals to achieve both Pennsylvania tax savings along with supporting educational improvement and scholarships. We can assist you in applying for these credits and determining available tax savings. The program is administered through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development and includes: Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Supports scholarship organizations and educational improvement organizations. These are nonprofits that support innovative programs in public schools. Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) Contributions to approved IRC 501(c) organizations/private schools that provide scholarships to eligible students living within the boundary of the lowest achieving 15% of elementary and secondary schools as determined by the Department of Education. These incentives can result in deductible contributions (subject to federal rules) and state credits while assisting with your philanthropic goals. Additional Tax Credits and Incentive Services Research and Development Credits Cost Segregation Services State Credits and Incentives About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Cost Segregation Cost Segregation Services PRIMARY CONTACT: David J. Mitros CPA Your company’s real estate holdings constitute a huge capital investment. With Schneider Downs’ engineering-based cost segregation studies, you can maximize your real property’s financial return by generating significant cash flow savings. Our cost segregation analysis generates cash tax savings by carving out shorter-lived assets (qualifying for 5-, 7- or 15-year write-off periods) that are normally imbedded in a building’s construction or acquisition costs (generally depreciated over 39 years). Our consultants will “mine out” these buried tax savings from: New buildings presently under construction. Existing buildings undergoing renovation, remodeling, restoration or expansion. Purchases of existing properties. Office/facility leasehold improvements and “fit-outs.” Post-1986 real estate construction, building acquisition or improvements where no cost segregation study was performed (even though the statute of limitations previously closed on the property construction/acquisition year). Enjoy the windfall for real property constructed or purchased in a prior tax year or for proprety constructed or purchased in the current tax year. You now have a valuable opportunity, courtesy of the IRS, if you constructed or purchased real estate in a prior year but did not have a cost segregation study performed. An IRS procedure now allows you to deduct depreciation amounts that you are legally entitled to, but did not claim (e.g., due to erroneous property classification as a 39-year depreciable building) entirely in the tax year in which you complete a study. Our cost segregation consultants possess the engineering expertise and the necessary tax compliance skills to permit you to accelerate tax depreciation deductions, reduce taxes and increase your cash flow through our cost segregation studies. Which industries does Schneider Downs Cost Segregation Services benefit? Automobile Dealerships Commercial Rental Property Corporate Office Buildings Distribution Centers Food Processing Plants Hotels and Motels Manufacturing Facilities Mixed-Use Property Multi-Family Residential Property Restaurant Facilities Shopping Malls Strip Mall Center Shops Additional Tax Credits and Incentive Services Research and Development Credits PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Research & Development Research and Development Tax Credits PRIMARY CONTACT: Ross S. Alessandro III CPA Both federal and state tax credits exist to reward companies for investing in Research and Development (R&D). The federal credit can net as much as 10% of credit year expenditures, and many states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, also offer a credit for research. Additionally, new tax rules might make it easier for your company to claim and utilize a Federal R&D tax credit (even if your company is a pre-revenue start-up). Our professionals have significant experience in conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including, but not limited to, manufacturing, emerging technology, transportation & logistics, and construction. Let us help you to make the most of your investment. https://player.vimeo.com/video/696685553?h=addec09ef2&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479 Key Tax Opportunities At Schneider Downs, we can help to review your current R&D Tax Credit calculation or conduct an R&D Tax Credit Study to determine the amount of any potential credits. We can facilitate your company's accounting and application for this credit by: Determining qualified research activities and expenditures Creating the documentation needed to substantiate the credit Detailing the state tax benefits that may be available Preparing any required tax filings Providing support with federal or state audits Our professionals have significant experience in conducting R&D studies for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, software development, metal production and chemical products. Let us help you to make the most of your investment. R&D Tax Credit Industry Overviews Construction Construction Architecture Electrical Contractors Engineering Manufacturers Mechanical Engineers Plumbing Contractors Software and Technology Transportation & Logistics Qualified Research - The Four Part Test Overview Additional Tax Credits and Incentive Services Cost Segregation Services PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Navigating Tariffs with Onshoring: Tax Benefits for U.S. Manufacturers With most industries, navigating the impact of tariffs continues to be an important topic in the manufacturing industry. This article… Read More > Bipartisan House Bill Could Retroactively Reinstate Immediate Expensing of R&D Costs Learn more about the reintroduction of the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act. On March 10, 2025, Reps. John B.… Read More > Postcard from the AI Horizons Pittsburgh Event On Monday, October 14, I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural AI Horizons Pittsburgh event. As I walked the… Read More > From Concept to Creation – The Impact of R&D Tax Credits for Manufacturing Companies Manufacturers must overcome many challenges to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. From understanding and implementing sophisticated automated technologies… Read More > IRS Relaxes Documentation Requirements for Claiming R&D Tax Credits on Amended Returns Since January 10, 2022, the IRS has required that taxpayers provide supplementary information beyond the usual requirements of the Form… Read More > 2024 Changes to Federal Form 6765 On Friday, June 21, 2024, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a revised draft of Form 6765, the form… Read More > Maximizing Returns: Leveraging R&D Tax Credits in the Energy and Natural Resources Sector The energy and natural resources sector faces an ever-changing landscape of financial pressures, including volatile commodity pricing, regulatory uncertainty, and… Read More > Building Innovation: Navigating the Terrain of R&D Tax Credits for Real Estate Developers Although it might not be obvious, the R&D tax credit can benefit taxpayers in a wide variety of industries including… Read More > Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? Manufacturers whose activities consist of the development of new or improved business products or processes may be eligible for federal… Read More > Five Tax Considerations for Start-up Companies When it comes to taxes, startup companies often underestimate the significance of tax planning, compliance and the implementation of effective tax… Read More > IRS Issues Draft Instructions to Claim the R&D Tax Credit on Amended Returns On October 15, 2021, the IRS issued Chief Counsel memorandum FAA20214101F, which introduced new procedures for taxpayers claiming R&D Tax… Read More > Research and Development Tax Capitalization Rules: Are You Ready? As part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a significant change in the tax law occurred for research and… Read More > Emerging Technology Companies and the R&D Tax Credit In today’s world, emerging technology companies are facing a barrage of challenges, including, finding funding, navigating supply chain issues, defending… Read More > ### Tax Credits and Incentives Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACT: Ross S. Alessandro III CPA Our tax professionals are fully committed to assisting you in identifying and securing the tax credits and incentives available to you and your business. Staying current in tax credits and economic development incentives is a daunting, if not an insurmountable task. This is seen in studies that have shown that at least 50% of tax credits and incentives are not claimed each year. Our experienced professionals have been extremely successful in representing clients of all sizes and across numerous industries in matters such as those described above. The insight, innovation, and experience of Schneider Downs' tax professionals can assist you in navigating the labyrinth of tax credit and economic development incentives. TAX CREDITS AND INCENTIVE SERVICES Created with Sketch. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CREDITS Created with Sketch. COST SEGREGATION SERVICES Created with Sketch. COST SEGREGATION BENEFIT ANALYSIS REQUEST FORM Created with Sketch. PA EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDITS (EITC) Created with Sketch. STATE CREDITS AND INCENTIVES Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA As with many other countries, U.S. tax rules strive to ensure that taxpayers with common ownership are using “arm’s length” pricing when buying and selling products, services, and intangibles to one another. Essentially, “arm’s length” pricing means ensuring that related entities are paying their related counterparts the same prices for goods and services as they would be paying an unrelated third party. Each intercompany transaction must be separately accounted for in a company’s transfer pricing policy, which as required by the U.S. Tax Code, must be maintained as contemporaneous documentation. We present practical, customized solutions to our clients’ unique transfer pricing needs. These services include: Audit support Functional analysis Analysis of comparable companies Transfer pricing studies and annual updates Documentation of comparable companies and assessments, in line with IRS and OECD requirements Transfer pricing planning We also work with specialists to include transfer pricing analysis for local countries, in conjunction with U.S. reporting. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### International Withholding Tax PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA Schneider Downs can help you manage your international withholding tax liabilities and help you obtain refunds, where applicable. As a consequence of doing business directly and indirectly around the world, companies often pay taxes in foreign jurisdiction.  Many times, these are directly withheld by the payor and may be able to be reduced by treaty application. In addition, you may be required to withhold taxes if you are operating overseas. We often assist our clients with evaluating and mitigating foreign withholding requirements for various employment and business income taxes. Through Prime Global, we work directly with our colleagues around the world to ensure compliance and minimize your withholding tax. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### International Tax Reporting and Planning PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA Transactional analysis and support services including due diligence. Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax (BEAT) BEAT is an additional tax on certain corporations that make specific types of payments to foreign related parties. The determination as to whether a corporation has made a payment that would be subject to such tax is made by looking at a company’s base erosion percentage and gross receipts. If a taxpayer falls within the requirement to pay BEAT, then a complex calculation, as indicated by the Service, is done each year with the corporation’s tax return. There are certain industries that might be more impacted by BEAT than others. Importers and those in the energy sector seem to be uniquely susceptible to BEAT, and should be cautious when making payments to their foreign related entities without carefully considering the tax impact. If you are concerned about BEAT and want to know how Schneider Downs can help, reach out to the Schneider Downs international tax team. These tax professionals can: Aid in making the determination of whether BEAT applies to you, Engage in tax planning to model the best options for your unique business need, and Ensure compliance with all relevant reporting requirements as issued by the Service. GILTI, Subpart F, Repatriation Prior to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017, U.S. owners of foreign businesses were able to defer U.S. taxation on certain income earned outside of the U.S. until such income is repatriated to the United States (via payment of a dividend from the foreign entity to the U.S. owner). When Congress passed the TCJA, it allowed U.S. shareholders a new benefit, but added some new burdens, all aimed to incentivize those doing business abroad to bring profits and investments back to the United States. Per the TCJA,U.S. corporate shareholders that repatriate income via dividend are now afforded a deduction in the amount of the dividend, effectively allowing U.S. shareholders to bring profits held offshore back to the United States tax-free. Additionally, taxpayers that are leaving profits abroad in their foreign companies, are now subject to stricter subpart F rules, as well as a newer tax on GILTI, or global intangible low-taxed income. The rules for calculation of subpart F income and GILTI, respectively, are both complex and time-consuming. It takes significant modeling on the planning side and detailed analysis on the compliance side to determine the best course of action for a taxpayer. Schneider Downs’ talented Global Tax team has experience in both of these areas, and is ready to help you determine your individual needs. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA Schneider Downs can help you manage your worldwide tax exposure to achieve the most effective global tax structure. Our team of tax professionals work closely with you and your team to develop the optimal tax solutions that align with your business strategy. We regularly work with clients with both day-to-day and specialty services including: Assistance with complex foreign transactions Assistance with ensuring compliance with U.S. and international taxlaws Avoidance of double taxation, including utilizing income taxtreaties Controlled foreign corporationsplanning International mergers, acquisitions and due diligence International gift and estate tax planning, including estate tax treatyanalysis Voluntary Disclosure Programs Schneider Downs can assist you and your company with: Minimizing the impact of GILTI and Subpart F and BEAT Repatriation Planning Managing Withholding Taxes Taking Advantage of Export Benefits About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA The U.S. is a large potential market for many foreign companies. From manufacturing to software industries, we can help manage your U.S. reporting requirements and help maximize your investment. From starting an entity, through growth stage to exit, we understand the decentralized U.S. tax system and how it interacts with foreign jurisdiction rules and global tax policy. Starting your business in the U.S. correctly is crucial. There are many details which must be considered thoroughly to make your U.S. expansion a success. The decisions made in the planning phase will affect the business direction in the future. We handle the complexities of the U.S. tax system so you can focus on your business. As your business grows, our skilled team will assist in managing business and tax opportunities to maximize your company’s growth opportunities. Initial structuring and business commencement U.S. tax reporting for sales, income, franchise and withholding taxes Transfer Pricing Tax aspects of employees in the U.S. Coordination with your local country tax rules About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### FATCA and Nonresident Withholding FATCA and Nonresident Withholding PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA NRA Withholding Payments to all foreign persons, including nonresident alien individuals, foreign entities and governments, may be subject to NRA withholding. Generally, a foreign person is subject to U.S. tax on its U.S. source income. Most types of U.S. source income received by a foreign person are subject to U.S. tax of 30%, unless a reduced rate, including exemption, applies. FATCA(Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) FATCA isset of rules designed to assistthe IRS in collecting taxes owed by foreign persons that receive payments from U.S. businesses. It impacts nearly all non-U.S. entities that receive most types of U.S. source income. Failure to comply with FATCA withholding regulations can result in increased tax liability, penalties and fines for non-compliance. Under FATCA, your foreign payees are likely to be subject to the 30% withholding tax. Withholdable payments commonly include U.S. source dividends, rents, interest, royalties, salaries, wages, annuities or other fixed, determinable, annual or periodic income; gross proceeds from the sale or disposition of U.S. property that could produce interest or dividends; or interest paid by a foreign branch of a U.S. bank. Schneider Downs’ professionals can assist in: A process to capture, track and maintain the data and documents required for FATCA reporting. Filing of Form 1042 and related Form 1042-S. Determining the classification of each of your foreign payees (NFFEs,FFIs, etc.). Assistancecollecting, validating and managing Forms W-8as part of your FATCA compliance process. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Export Incentives PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA Foreign Derived Intangible Income (FDII) Onetax incentive that existsforthose in theexportbusiness isthereductionin tax rate onFDII, or Foreign Derived Intangible Income. FDII is income that is generated on the export of intangible assets, such as patents or trademarks. The Internal Revenue Service allows for income generated on the sale of these assets, subject to several complex limitations, to be taxed atthe13.125% as opposed to the 21% corporate tax rate.The rules regarding when and what qualifies for the FDII rate reduction are complex and seemingly always evolving.Schneider Downs’ tax professionals canprovideaidtobusinesses inmaking thedetermination as to whetherthey can benefit from a rate reduction on certain sales,help strategically plan new business ventures to take advantage of this significant rate reduction, and file the necessary forms and disclosures with the Internal Revenue Service annually. Interest Charge Domestic International Sales Corporation (IC-DISC) IC-DISC offers significant income tax savings for exporters. Permanent tax savings are available to producers and distributors of U.S. made products used abroad. Rely on your Schneider Downs’ internal tax professionals in exploring this great tax incentive. We can determine if your operating entity and business model is a good fit for this tax-advantaged vehicle. Amnesty Programs Non-willful delinquency in connection with disclosing your foreign assets happens all the time. These violations can lead to a variety of penalties and other serious consequences. Violation penalties vary. Typically, they start at $10,000 and could be even higher. A willful failure to file an FBAR or other form, for example, can cost you the greater amount of $100,000 or 50% of the foreign account balance. There are several existing IRS programs which can aid in fixing your non-compliance, and we can assist you in finding a tailored solution that makes sense for your situation. It is in your best interest to seek solutions proactively and disclose your foreign assets to the IRS. The IRS will not grant amnesty unless you make a first contact. It’s important to emphasize that the timing is crucial, because the above IRS amnesty programs are currently available; however, the IRS could cancel them at any time. There are several existing amnesty programs: Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures   These procedures generally apply when the taxpayer did not fail to report any income and does not owe any tax, but non-willfully failed to file an FBAR or failed to include an account on a previously filed FBAR. Taxpayers can go back and file the delinquent FBARs, and typically, the IRS will not impose a penalty for failure to file the FBARs. We can help you in assessing whether you qualify for this program. Delinquent International Information Returns Submission Taxpayers who have identified the need to file delinquent international information returns who are not under a civil examination or a criminal investigation by the IRS and have not already been contacted by the IRS about the delinquent information returns should file the delinquent information returns through normal filing procedures. Normally, if you provide a reasonable cause for the delay in your submission and don’t have any unpaid tax liability and the IRS will waive any penalties associated with late filing. Sometimes, this type of tax amnesty is the best way to go. However, a thorough planning and analysis of all relevant facts is the key. Streamlined Programs: Domestic and Foreign Did you miss reporting of your foreign accounts, investment, and income? The IRS has two great programs for non-willful delinquently filing taxpayers to become compliant: the domestic streamlined program and foreign streamlined program. The domestic streamlined program requires: non-willfulness, not being under IRS audit, and filed returns for several recent years. The potential 5% penalty could apply; however, this 5% penalty should be balanced against potentially large penalties associated with continuous noncompliance. For the foreign streamlined program, the main requirements are: non-residency and non-willfulness in failure to disclose foreign assets.  Streamlined foreign procedures don’t carry the 5% penalty, and prior filing of tax returns is not required. Being non-willful is a crucial piece in the streamlined programs. Determination of whether one’s conduct was non-willful can be highly technical, so it’s best to work with a qualified international tax professional. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Expatriate Tax Expatriate Taxation PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA The international relocation of executives and key employees happens frequently in today’s business world. The immigration laws and tax implications of such relocation generate a lot of complexity, both for the company and the employees. How can Schneider Downs help? Our team of tax professionals can provide support from both the employer and employee perspective. For individuals moving into or out of the U.S., we can assist with: Country Tax Briefing-Employer Checklist We will provide the company with a general overview of the local country tax structure, including permanent establishment thresholds, treaty applicability, payroll tax considerations, and other pertinent items. We will also provide a commentary regarding local country taxation of benefits, options, etc. Tax Considerations-Employee Checklist   We will provide a checklist with general expatriate tax information (i.e., what are the U.S. tax consequences of working overseas) and your specific country tax information, such as the local country taxability of employer-provided items and general tax structure. Expatriate Tax Briefing (Pre-departure)   We will arrange the pre-departure meeting with individuals to review the local country and U.S. tax considerations related to their assignments. We will help to minimize their global tax burden and avoid negative surprises in the relocated country. U.S. Federal and State Returns    We will provide U.S. tax compliance services to eligible employees. Local Country Tax Returns   We will coordinate with local country service providers to ensure employees’ compliance with host country filing requirements. Country Tax Briefing-Employer Checklist   We will provide the company with a general overview of the local country tax structure, including permanent establishment thresholds, treaty applicability, payroll tax considerations, and other pertinent items. We will also provide a commentary regarding local country taxation of benefits, options, etc. Form W-2 Gross-up Calculations   We can work with your payroll department to calculate current-year Forms W-2 including amounts for grossed-up benefits, thereby minimizing the need for amended returns. Hypothetical Tax and Equalization Calculations  These calculations will assist the company in maintaining expatriates’ tax neutral positions. We will work with you and the employees to calculate hypothetical tax (so that the appropriate amount can be collected from the employees) and we will “true up” that calculation after the U.S. returns are filed. We will work with you to establish acceptance and sign-off procedures, in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and other regulations. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Tax Advisory Services – International Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS:  Matthew S. Legg CPA Schneider Downs Tax Advisory Services are specialized services delivered by knowledgeable experts to minimize our clients’ tax liabilities and fully capitalize on incentives and credits available based on the clients’ business activity. Our tax professionals strive to find opportunities for our clients to utilize these services to create value for our clients. As tax legislation rapidly changes, our tax team continues to update these specialty service offerings to maximize the benefit for our clients. Our International Tax Advisory services can serve your global tax planning and compliance needs. We focus on both “outbound” and “inbound” international tax planning and tax matters associated with foreign transactions. We emphasize practical planning strategies to reduce your worldwide income tax burden. We work with a wide variety of clients, industries and countries, providing you with the benefit of our broad range of experiences. Our active participation in Prime Global, an award-winning association of worldwide public accounting and consulting firms, provides access to specialists in more than 90 countries, ensuring that your tax needs are met in the U.S. and throughout the world. OUR INTERNATIONAL SERVICES EXPATRIATE TAX EXPORT INCENTIVES FATCA AND NONRESIDENT WITHHOLDING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN U.S INBOUND AND OUTBOUND ENTITY STRUCTURING INTERNATIONAL TAX REPORTING AND PLANNING INTERNATIONAL WITHHOLDING TAX TRANSFER PRICING AND REVIEW OF CROSS-BORDER TRANSACTIONS Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### State Credits and Incentives PRIMARY CONTACT: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD Our State and Local Tax professionals are fully committed to assisting you in identifying and securing the tax credits and incentives available to you and your business. https://player.vimeo.com/video/696685553?h=addec09ef2 Staying current in state tax credits and economic development incentives is a daunting, if not an insurmountable task. This is seen in studies that have shown that at least 50% of tax credits and incentives are not claimed each year. Our experienced professionals have been extremely successful in representing clients of all sizes and across numerous industries in matters such as those described above. The insight, innovation, and experience of Schneider Downs' State and Local Tax professionals can assist you in navigating the labyrinth of state tax credit and economic development incentives. Our state and local tax team provides a full range of services to assist companies to maximize the benefit of their business operations, including: Income/franchise tax credits Tax exemptions for state and local taxes including income/franchise, sales and use taxes, payroll taxes, and real and personal property taxes. Site Selection Services Workforce Studies Incentive Negotiation Incentive Compliance Statutory income tax credit refund reviews Work Opportunity Tax Credit Services Additional Tax Credits and Incentive Services Research and Development Credits Cost Segregation Services PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services PRIMARY CONTACTS: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JDAt Schneider Downs, we recognize the complexities of sales and use tax issues faced by companies today as they do business across a multitude of state and local jurisdictions.With our insight and nearly 100 combined years of dedicated state and local tax experience, Schneider Downs’ SALT professionals are fully committed to helping clients comply with the complex and ever-changing sales and use tax laws and regulations.Assistance with Increased Sales/Use Tax Compliance Burdens – Including WayfairThe Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair has dramatically changed sales and use tax filing obligations for businesses. Consequently, many companies will be required to file returns in state and local jurisdictions where they did not previously.Unsure if your business has been impacted by the Wayfair decision? Schneider Downs can assist you in identifying each state and locality where your business has a sales tax filing obligation. If a review identifies additional obligations, our team of experienced professionals can assist your business with registration, online tax account setup and, ultimately, the filing of returns.Customized Sales and Use Tax Filing ProcessSchneider Downs has developed a sales and use tax compliance process that focuses on the specific needs of each of our clients. Your team will initiate the preparation of returns based on those identified on your sales and use tax compliance calendar, as well as the transactional data you provide to us. After your returns are completed, applicable payments are either made on your behalf or drafted online for you to initiate. After filing, completed returns and supporting documentation are placed into our convenient and secure online client portal for access, as needed.Fulfill Sales and Use Tax Compliance Outsourcing NeedsSales tax compliance is an endless cycle for most companies, creating days and even weeks of ongoing work. Our SALT team will ensure that your sales tax returns and associated payments are made accurately and timely, allowing you to focus ultimately on the operation and growth of your business.About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Sales/Use Tax Sales and Use Tax PRIMARY CONTACTS: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD Sales and use tax rules are more complex than ever, presenting known and unknown risks to businesses of all sizes. The complexity is compounded by states becoming more aggressive and strategic in auditing taxpayers to recover tax dollars and fill budget gaps. As a result, businesses must understand their sales tax exposure, mitigate risk and past exposure, and establish processes and systems to ensure ongoing compliance. We provide our clients with proactive, practical advice on sales and use tax filings and processes, taxability of products and services, and other related issues.  In addition to providing sound tax technical advice, our state and local tax (SALT) team can add value to your tax function through the following sales & use tax consulting services: Audit Defense and Controversy Compliance Process Reviews Data Automation Support Direct Pay Agreements Due Diligence Exposure Reviews Participatory/Managed Audits Refund Reviews/Reverse Audits Research and Matrices Transactional Planning Voluntary Disclosures and Amnesty Programs Additionally, our SALT team is well-positioned to alleviate the strain on your resources and unnecessary stress associated with the sales & use tax compliance function through the following services: Correspondence and Notice Management Exemption Certificate Management Jurisdictional Rate Change Updates Multistate Registrations Multistate Return Filing About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Property Tax PRIMARY CONTACTS: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD Real and personal property taxes are one of the most substantial sources of local government revenue and can be one of the largest tax expenditures for companies. This leaves companies with properties in multiple jurisdictions with the burden of managing a myriad of differing methodologies, regulations, and deadlines, while also monitoring the equitable administration of property value assessments.  This complexity is further compounded by the uniqueness of property taxes - unlike other taxes, property tax assessments are based on the estimated value of the property, leaving them subject to varying valuation opinions. Our state and local tax (SALT) professionals can assist in a wide range of services to assist all components of your property tax function, from return filing to assisting to ensure the proper valuation and taxation of your property holdings. Our comprehensive property tax services include: Assessment monitoring, review and appeals Audit defense and appeal Data acquisition and analysis Management reporting Strategic planning Reviews for proper asset classification, obsolescence, utility, and application of exemptions Tax payment Tax reporting Voluntary Disclosure Agreements About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax PRIMARY CONTACTS: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD Nearly every state has some form or a combination of an income, franchise or privilege tax. Accordingly, companies that operate in multiple states face an increasingly difficult burden to comply with states' complex and ever-changing laws and regulations. Our team of State and Local Tax professionals is committed to assisting you in complying with these state tax laws and regulations and achieving your state tax goals. Some of the ways we can assist and add value to your organization include: Nexus Studies - Review of your company's state and local tax filing obligations. Due Diligence Reviews - Analysis of the potential state and local tax impact of proposed corporate changes, including buy-sell agreements. Voluntary Disclosure Agreements - Negotiations and advance filing agreements with state tax departments to satisfy income/franchise tax liabilities, along with reduced or abated penalty/interest. State and Local Tax Planning - Management of your company's state tax liability through industry and client-specific state and local tax planning strategies. Review of Business Structure - Review of your company's current operational and organizational structure to ensure optimal structure. Audit Representation - Assistance from the pre-audit conference through the appeals process to help minimize income/franchise tax assessments. Amended State Tax Returns (RAR Adjustments) - Assistance with amended state income and franchise tax returns after the completion of an IRS audit. Our experienced professionals have been extremely successful in representing clients of all sizes and across numerous industries in matters such as those described above. The insight, innovation and experience of Schneider Downs' State and Local Tax professionals can assist you in navigating the labyrinth of income/franchise tax laws. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Excise & Motor Fuels Excise and Motor Fuels Tax PRIMARY CONTACTS: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD Federal and state excise taxes are levied on a wide variety of items – such as heavy vehicles, cable and communication equipment, tires, airline tickets, motor fuel, alcohol, tobacco, and a whole host of other items. Companies often do not have the resources to comply with the reporting and compliance requirements on these taxes or the expertise to identify refunds that can be recovered. Our state and local tax professionals can perform a detailed review of your company’s in-house excise tax function to identify refund opportunities, mitigate risk, and advise on your internal processes.  These services include: Cash refund recovery opportunities Audit defense assistance Compliance assistance Risk mitigation Process review and technology automation About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Abandoned/Unclaimed Property PRIMARY CONTACTS: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD Schneider Downs' State and Local Tax professionals can help you traverse the complex state abandoned or unclaimed property laws and procedures to limit or eliminate potential liabilities. While abandoned or unclaimed property is not a tax, it has become a significant source of revenue for many states. The information age has also allowed state governments to more effectively locate companies that have never filed an unclaimed property report. State inquiries can lead to an audit and an audit can quickly evolve into a costly matter for your business. Generally, all states have some type of unclaimed property laws that declare money, property or other assets to be abandoned after a period of inactivity, usually three to five years. Should the company fail to locate the property owner within this time period, the company is required to turn the property over to a particular state's abandoned property department. A few common forms of abandoned property consist of, but are not limited to: Outstanding checks to vendors. Product and service refunds; and Uncashed payroll checks; Unused gift cards or certificates; Non-compliance with state abandoned or unclaimed property laws can be costly when considering that state assessments can cover a significant number of years and penalty and interest additions. Abandoned or unclaimed property audits can reveal significant and material liabilities that may impact reporting in accordance with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404. Our State and Local Tax professionals have the knowledge and experience to assist companies with the following services: Audit Defense and Controversy Compliance Policies and Procedures Manuals Research and Matrices Transaction Due Diligence About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. PRIMARY CONTACT: Stephen R. Worth CPA, JD For most companies and organizations, state and local taxes represent the majority of the overall tax burden. With the growing complexity of these state and local taxes, many companies may not even realize they have incurred liabilities, leading to unforeseen tax exposure, interest, and penalty payments. This complexity only continues to grow with the ever-changing and evolving state and local tax legislation. As state and local governments continue to align their tax systems with their fiscal challenges, businesses must stay focused on the changing landscape of their state and local tax obligations.  Doing so is integral to ensure your business operations are aligned with the state and local tax systems in a tax-efficient manner – both in the long and short term. Our state and local tax professionals are poised to advise you on all state and local tax issues, including tax technical, processes, controversy, and multi-jurisdictional complexities, as well as assist you in minimizing state and local taxes and driving tax efficiencies. https://vimeo.com/696683282 Struggling to manage the complex regulations and data compliance of SALT? Set yourself on the right path with tailored solutions to reduce future tax liability and minimize audit risk. Contact us today to schedule a state and local tax risk assessment. SALT TAX ADVISORY SERVICES Created with Sketch. ABANDONED/UNCLAIMED PROPERTY Created with Sketch. EXCISE AND MOTOR FUELS TAX Created with Sketch. MULTISTATE INCOME, FRANCHISE AND GROSS RECEIPTS TAX Created with Sketch. PROPERTY TAX Created with Sketch. SALES AND USE TAX Created with Sketch. SALES AND USE TAX COMPLIANCE ADVICE AND SERVICES Created with Sketch. STATE CREDITS AND INCENTIVES Our active participation in Prime Global, an award-winning association of worldwide public accounting and consulting firms, provides access to specialists in more than 90 countries, ensuring that your tax needs are met in the U.S. and throughout the world. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Income Tax Provisions - ASC 740 and IFRS PRIMARY CONTACT: James Sayre One of the leading causes of financial restatements continues to be the reporting of deferred taxes and valuation allowances. These matters are further complicated by the continuous development of tax legislation across all jurisdictions. Additionally, accelerated reporting deadlines along with increased scrutiny placed on proper disclosures create further challenges to comply with all reporting requirements. It is clear that accounting for income tax grows more complex each year. While a significant component of a company’s financial statements, many do not have the necessary internal resources to prepare their income tax provision calculations. Schneiders Downs provides solutions to your company’s needs to ensure appropriate reporting in accordance with ASC 740 (formerly FAS 109). We offer specialists that are dedicated in the area of accounting for income tax and work closely with your accounting department to ensure proper reporting under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and/or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Our tax accounting specialists provide the following services: Annual and interim tax provision support Public and private company reporting support Valuation allowance assessment Accounting for uncertain tax positions (formerly FIN 48) Footnote disclosure assistance Audit support Purchase accounting related to business combinations Tax accounting training SOX internal control design, implementation and improvement assistance S. GAAP/IFRS conversion support Click here for our thoughts on changes taking place in the market. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Tax Outsourcing / On Call Assistance PRIMARY CONTACTS: Justin C. Steele ESQ Matthew C. Werner CPA In today's complex business and tax environment, most companies cannot maintain the requisite level of in-house tax expertise necessary to ensure compliance in all tax disciplines and jurisdictions. Tax co-sourcing provides a strategic opportunity for companies to house those areas of the tax function that are most strategic, while outsourcing those tasks that are prohibitively resource-intensive or too expensive to complete in-house. It is all about getting the most from limited resources.  Small to large, companies have turned to co-sourcing to handle traditional Federal, state and foreign tax return preparation and tax provision calculations as well as more complex projects such as SOX tax control reviews, income tax reserve (ASC 740-10 fka. FIN 48)implementation, state and local tax consulting and audit assistance, tax provision audit support, and transactional analysis.   Let Schneider Downs help your Company leverage its current tax resources in an efficient, cost-effective manner. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Managed Tax Services Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS: Justin C. Steele JD, Matthew Werner CPA In today’s complex business and tax environment, most companies cannot maintain the requisite level of in-house tax expertise necessary to ensure compliance in all tax disciplines and jurisdictions. Managed Tax Services provides a strategic opportunity for companies to house those areas of the tax function that are most strategic, while outsourcing those tasks that are prohibitively resource-intensive or too expensive to complete in-house. It’s all about getting the most from limited resources and leveraging your tax resources. We work with our clients to create a tailored, customer-specific plan to address current needs with the flexibility to adapt to new situations. We provide the following services MANAGED TAX SERVICES Created with Sketch. OUTSOURCING/ON-CALL ASSISTANCE Created with Sketch. INCOME TAX PROVISIONS - ASC 740 AND IFRS   Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Gift, Trust and Estate Services Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Preserving wealth within and between generations. Estate planning is an ongoing and complex process that requires expertise and coordination. Schneider Downs is uniquely positioned with a diverse team of credentialed professionals, including CPAs, CFPs, LLMs, MBAs, JDs, and non-practicing attorneys who are committed to comprehensive service. From business entity succession planning to estate administration, Schneider Downs professionals can synthesize the most complex financial situations to develop an effective, customized, tax-efficient estate and succession plan. Services We Provide and Coordinate Include: Estate and Succession Planning Analyze Current Estate Planning Documents Calculate Death Taxes and Liquidity Gifting Design and Consultation Trust Design and Consultation Insurance Planning Family Tuition and Medical Plan Design Entity Succession Planning Compliance (Trust Returns, Gift Returns, Estate and Inheritance Tax Returns) Estate Administration Process Federal and State Death Tax Returns Estate and Fiduciary Income Tax Returns Estate and Trust Accountings Assist in gathering assets and determining distributions Death Tax Return Challenges Our team of estate planning professionals have a history of success in representing clients before the taxing authorities in the event of a death tax return challenge. Curious about the origin of the estate tax? Learn more in our History of the Estate Tax Infographic. Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. In furtherance of the estate planning services provided, it may be necessary to retain legal counsel. Tax and legacy planning services are offered through Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Investment and asset management services are provided through Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP. Each service may require you to sign a separate engagement agreement that will outline the services to be provided and the respective fees. Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### Not-for-profit Tax Not-For-Profit Tax PRIMARY CONTACT: Sarah Piot CPA Schneider Downs' experience with the not-for-profit sector allows us to bring insight to organizations and to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities that not-for-profits face. Our mission is working together every day to make our firm, clients, and communities better. We recognize the importance and value of the services that not-for-profit organizations provide to our communities and are committed to serving our clients to their highest levels of satisfaction. Our Not-for-Profit Tax Services Group is recognized for its technical expertise and comprehensive experience in tax and business matters that affect not-for-profit organizations. From the very beginning of an organization’s existence, we are able to assist in obtaining tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service including education on the process and a collaborative preparation of the exemption request. The required annual filings, including Form 990 and Form 990-PF, are complex documents which are open to public disclosure. A critical component of our process when working with not-for-profit organizations includes viewing the annual filing document as an integral part of your public relations plan and ensuring the operations and accomplishments are highlighted. In addition to the services mentioned above, the following is a sample list of services that we regularly assist not-for-profit organizations with: Unrelated business income analysis both at the federal and state level Foreign information filing requirement analysis Board and management education Analysis and preparation of foreign equivalency determinations Annual conflict of interest questionnaire assistance Consultation regarding employment taxes Reasonable compensation analysis Executive Compensation review Gift planning strategies State charitable solicitation registration State payroll tax registration Assistance with Payroll Protection Program Employee Retention Credit Claims Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application assistance Conflict of Interest best practices Internal Revenue Service Audit Representation Application for Federal Exempt Status About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax-filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Individual Tax Individual Tax Primary Contact: Justin C. Steele ESQ  Schneider Downs Tax Advisors focus on providing value to our individual tax clients with a tailored approach to meet their unique tax needs and goals. The Schneider Downs team consists of experienced tax professionals who have your best interest at heart and provides you with a personalized customer experience through a variety of services, including: Tax Compliance Schneider Downs tax advisors ensure that our clients’ can address individual federal, state and local tax needs in an accurate and timely manner during the tax preparation process and throughout the entire year. Proactive Tax Planning Our tax professionals provide proactive ideas, develop strategies to minimize your individual tax burdens and provide timely updates to avoid surprises. Tax Projections We strive to ensure our clients are aware of their projected tax liabilities, understand the significant factors that affect their taxes, and provide information in advance of personal and business decisions to evaluate the tax effect and provide opportunities for tax savings. Audit Support Schneider Downs tax advisors have experience assisting and supporting clients through federal, state and local tax authority audits and ensure our clients are fairly represented in their individual tax needs. Why Schneider Downs Individual Tax Advisors? Schneider Downs processes and technology utilized for tax information collection provide a simple and easy experience for our clients, while ensuring that data is managed in a secure manner. We have designed a service model built on a commitment to continuous communication with clients with frequent dialogue and scheduled meetings throughout the year to understand individual goals and needs. Our team of professionals have your best interest at heart. If you need an advisor to provide you a fresh tax perspective, please contact a member of the tax team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  The tax environment is constantly changing, and effective tax planning allows clients to take advantage of significant economic opportunities and achieve substantial tax savings. With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax-filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Learn more about our additional tax services and capabilities at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Business Tax Business Tax Primary Contact: Justin C. Steele ESQ  Schneider Downs Tax Advisors focus on the business of our clients and the environments in which they operate. Our approach is tailored to your operations and is developed after obtaining an in-depth understanding of your organization. Our professionals have a breadth of experience providing industry-leading service to businesses of all types including both publicly and privately held companies. Business Tax Compliance Services Our integrated service delivery model ensures that our clients’ federal, state and local tax needs are addressed in a timely manner during the course of the tax preparation process and throughout the entire year. We work to minimize liabilities and maximize cash flow while ensuring compliance with federal and state laws. We keep you informed of tax law changes and related issues that might affect your business, and we coordinate with international advisors to provide global solutions. Schneider Downs’ commitment to identifying opportunities with a personal focus on your business allows us to identify and implement tax-saving strategies for you. Our tax professionals understand complex tax issues and we work to bring value to your business. As a part of our services, we meet with our clients regularly to learn what is important to you, and to understand your goals and industry trends. We know that understanding your business allows us to develop proactive tax planning strategies. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors  With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax-filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Tax Compliance and Consulting Tax Compliance and Consulting Specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACT: Justin C. Steele ESQ  Schneider Downs Tax Advisors strive to create value for our clients. Our approach is based on developing an in-depth relationship with our clients to bring creative ideas and solutions tailored to the unique aspects of our clients’ goals, challenges, and opportunities. Our integrated service delivery model ensures that our clients’ tax needs are addressed in a timely manner. TAX COMPLIANCE AND CONSULTING SERVICES Created with Sketch. BUSINESS TAX Created with Sketch. INDIVIDUAL TAX Created with Sketch. NOT-FOR-PROFIT TAX Created with Sketch. GIFT, TRUST AND ESTATE SERVICES Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Tax About Us About Schneider Downs Tax Services Providing specialized services to help clients meet all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us The tax environment is constantly changing, and effective tax planning allows clients to take advantage of significant economic opportunities and achieve substantial tax savings. With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax-filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures the delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Download our Tax Services Overview ### Tax Services Tax Services Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all of their tax compliance and planning needs. Contact Us Today Tax Compliance and Consulting Ensure compliance while providing tax planning to reduce tax liabilities and manage cash flow related to tax obligations Learn More > Managed Tax Services Supplemental solutions for your internal compliance and reporting functions Learn More > SALT Tax Advisory Services to achieve optimal results relating to SALT, credits and incentives, and accounting methods and elections Learn More > International Tax Advisory Specialty consulting services for international taxation to achieve your global tax planning and compliance needs Learn More > Tax Credits and Incentives Identify and secure the tax credits and incentives available to you and your business Learn More > Tax Transaction Advisory Learn More > Our Thoughts On Articles and insights written by our professionals on tax topics most important to you Learn More > About Us Learn more about the Schneider Downs Tax Advisory team and capabilities Learn More > Contact Us We want to hear from you. Learn More > Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: High Tax Burden For Family-owned Franchisor. Big Thinking: Comprehensive Planning For A 15% Tax Reduction. Read Case Study Big Problem: Pandemic-fueled Tax Liabilities For Dealerships Big Thinking: Change Accounting Methods To Achieve $600,000 In Deferred Tax Savings. Read Case Study ### Accounting Advisory Services Accounting Advisory Services Focus on protecting and enhancing the value of your business. Contact Us Today Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise The Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory team helps clients manage the accounting complexities and implications associated with increasing regulatory oversight and compliance challenges organizations face in the ever-evolving business landscape. See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections With a focus on protecting and enhancing the value of your business, the Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory team is committed to guiding clients through their unique challenges and providing pragmatic solutions that solve complicated issues and capitalize on unique opportunities.Regardless of the complexity of the issues facing your organization, the Schneider Downs team has the collective knowledge and industry experience to provide the best practices, relevant research and key insights to overcome current business challenges and position your company for future success.Whether you need support with technical accounting services, U.S. GAAP, IFRS, IPO readiness, post-acquisition integration, back-office assessment, shared services, cash flow optimization or staff augmentation for specialized projects, the Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory team has the collective expertise and experience you can trust. Accounting Project Management Accounting Project Management The Schneider Downs Accounting Project Management team provides the… Managed Lease Accounting Services Managed Lease Accounting Services The Schneider Downs Managed Lease Accounting team can… Technical Accounting Advisory Services Technical Accounting Advisory The Schneider Downs Technical Accounting Advisory Services team provides… Industry ExpertiseThe Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory team understands the importance of industry considerations when working with our clients. Our team has the specialized expertise to support the unique challenges facing private and publicly traded organizations across a wide range of industries, including:AutomotiveConstructionEmerging TechnologyHealthcareHigher EducationManufacturingNot-for-ProfitPrivate EquityProfessional ServicesReal EstateRetailTransportation & LogisticsWith our diverse experience across industries and organizations of all sizes, our team understands the business nuances, regulatory requirements and compliance concerns important to our clients.Commitment to InnovationIn addition to industry and accounting advisory expertise, our team is committed to developing technology-driven solutions that address foundational accounting needs, process optimization, automated reporting capabilities and increased productivity – all of which help drive business solutions while maximizing existing resources and reducing costs. View our additional Business Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### International Assurance Services International Assurance Services PRIMARY CONTACTS: Staci L. Brogan CPASchneider Downs knows that business opportunities frequently cross national borders. While the global marketplace offers unique challenges, we’re here to help your business with domestic and foreign needs.We have a deep understanding of the challenges international organizations face and have the experience to provide excellent assurance services under both U.S. Generally Accepted Audit Standards (U.S. GAAS) and the International Standards on Auditing (ISA). We serve a large number of clients with international needs throughout the world. We perform assurance services as the parent auditor for international organizations as well as the assurance provider for component entities of foreign companies. We perform assurance services in accordance with U.S. GAAP, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and other foreign accounting standards.When Schneider Downs is selected as a component auditor of a U.S. subsidiary with a foreign parent, we will work with the group auditor and group management to determine the most cost-effective approach to meet the needs domestically as well as those of the Group.For technical content, hot topics and trends impacting International Organizations, subscribe to our complementary Our Thoughts On weekly newsletter at Subscribe.Contact UsSchneider Downs provides excellent service to our international clients with a personal focus on their individualized needs.  For more information on how Schneider Downs can assist your international organization, please contact Staci Brogan.About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance ServicesSchneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all of their audit and assurance needs. We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans. Learn more about our Audit and Assurance Services. OUR INTERNATIONAL SERVICES audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch. ACCOUNTING AND ASSURANCE We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held tax-servicesCreated with Sketch. TAX SERVICES The tax environment is constantly changing, and effective business and tax planning allows clients to take advantage of significant economic opportunities technologyCreated with Sketch. TECHNOLOGY SERVICES Schneider Downs Technology Advisors is committed to providing value added technology services and solutions to our clients business advisoryCreated with Sketch. BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES Schneider Downs Business Advisors leverages our experience and industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk information-technologyCreated with Sketch. IT RISK ADVISORY SERVICES In today’s global economy, risks – both operational and technology - span multiple countries and continents Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Public Companies Assurance Services Public Company Assurance Services PRIMARY CONTACTS:Doug J. Morally CPASchneider Downs provides audit, assurance and consulting services to publicly traded businesses in a wide range of industries.As the largest independent financial and business advisory firm in our region, with 60+ years of experience and a proven global service model, Schneider Downs offers a cost-effective alternative to using a national service provider.Schneider Downs is the independent auditor of record for operating companies in various industries and has experience with IPOs, IPO readiness, secondary offerings and underwriting diligence.  We work proactively with management and the audit committee to develop an audit plan that effectively manages a registrant's risk in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, delivering on our promise of "Big Thinking, Personal Focus."Global Service Delivery ModelSchneider Downs’ global service delivery model incorporates PrimeGlobal, an association of independent accounting firms selected as best in class for quality of practice, professional standing, local reputation, diverse technical capabilities and geographic location.Our position within the association is strengthened by our role as a founding member of PrimeGlobal and our continuous involvement on the board of directors. We work with PrimeGlobal firms across the globe to coordinate our clients’ international service needs.Additional Public Company ServicesIn addition to SEC audits, Schneider Downs provides several extensive and comprehensive solutions for public companies including:Employee Benefit Plan AuditsSarbanes-Oxley ComplianceIPO and SPACs Deal Readiness AdvisoryFor a full overview of our services and capabilities, please download our Public Company brochure.Public Company Associations and AffiliationsSchneider Downs is an active participant in numerous groups and associations focused on public companies, including:Prime GlobalPublic Companies Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)  The Center for Audit Quality (CAQ)Public Company Industry ResourcesSchneider Downs Public Company ArticlesSchneider Downs Public Company BrochureAbout Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance ServicesSchneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all their audit and assurance needs. We apply the experience of more than 60 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans.Learn more about our Audit and Assurance Services or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### SOC Case Studies Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider Downs has extensive experience conducting all forms of System and Organization Controls (SOC) Reports for clients in numerous niche industries.Schneider Downs SOC Report Case Studies:Data Center/Secure Application Host SOC ReportHealth Management Solutions Provider SOC 2 + HITRUSTHealthcare Management/Third Party AdministratorHR Outsourcing Provider SOC 1Information Technology Services SOC ReportInformation Technology Services SOC 2Pharmacy Provider SOC 2Software as a Service (SaaS) Company SOC 2 Type 2Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainSOC ResourcesSchneider Downs SOC Report BrochureSchneider Downs SOC Reports OverviewTake Our free SOC Assessment QuizSchneider Downs SOC FAQsSchneider Downs SOC Case StudiesSchneider Downs SOC ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesAICPA's SOC Report CenterAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started and learn more about our practice at SOC.DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM ANDORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT?TAKE A FREE ASSESSMENT QUIZ View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### SOC Report FAQs SOC Frequently Asked Questions As one of the region’s largest providers of high-quality SOC reports, we have compiled a library of responses to the questions we are asked nearly every day. We’re happy to share our insights, questions include: WHAT ARE SOC REPORTS?System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, formerly Service Organization Control reports, are examinations provided by CPAs in connection with system-level controls of a service organization or entity-level controls at other organizations. These engagements are performed in accordance with Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 18, which is a professional standard promulgated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). WHO NEEDS A SOC REPORT?A SOC report is often requested by organizations (user entities) that receive significant services from a service organization and the user entities’ auditors (user auditors). WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SOC REPORTS? SOC 1, SOC 2 – SOC for Service Organizations: Trust Services SOC 2® HITRUST SOC 2® CSA STAR Attestation SOC 3 – SOC for Service Organizations: Trust Services Criteria for General Use Report SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Supply Chain WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OBTAINING A SOC 2 REPORT?Obtaining a SOC 2 report differentiates the service organization from its peers by demonstrating the establishment of effectively designed internal corporate governance and oversight and allows customers, stakeholders – or both – to gain confidence and place trust in the service organization’s system. HOW DOES A SERVICE ORGANIZATION PREPARE FOR A SOC REPORT?Prior to undergoing a SOC examination, an organization should engage a CPA firm to perform a SOC Readiness Assessment. SOC Readiness Assessments are designed to assist organizations in assessing their preparedness for a SOC examination. System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, formerly Service Organization Control reports, are examinations provided by CPAs in connection with system-level controls of a service organization or entity-level controls at other organizations. These engagements are performed in accordance with Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 18, which is a professional standard promulgated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). A SOC report is often requested by organizations (user entities) that receive significant services from a service organization and the user entities’ auditors (user auditors). SOC 1, SOC 2 - SOC for Service Organizations: Trust Services SOC 2® HITRUST SOC 2® CSA STAR Attestation SOC 3 - SOC for Service Organizations: Trust Services Criteria for General Use Report SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Supply Chain Obtaining a SOC 2 report differentiates the service organization from its peers by demonstrating the establishment of effectively designed internal corporate governance and oversight and allows customers, stakeholders – or both – to gain confidence and place trust in the service organization’s system. Prior to undergoing a SOC examination, an organization should engage a CPA firm to perform a SOC Readiness Assessment. SOC Readiness Assessments are designed to assist organizations in assessing their preparedness for a SOC examination. About Schneider Downs SOC Services Schneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started or learn more about our practice at SOC . DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT? TAKE A FREE ASSESSMENT QUIZ Download The Content For the full FAQ document please take a moment to tell us a little bit about you, and we’ll provide instant access to all of our responses. First Name Last Name Organization Title Email PhoneEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC for Supply Chain Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. What is a SOC for Supply Chain Report?SOC for Supply Chain reports helps organizations communicate certain information about the supply chain risks and management efforts to assess and implement an effective system of controls that mitigate those risks. These reports provide management with a competitive advantage when competing for work with user entities, such as manufacturers or distributors, by demonstrating to users the organization’s commitment to keeping data secure and meeting performance metrics.A SOC for Supply Chain report covers the types of goods produced or distributed, product performance specifications and system components like infrastructure, software and people. It also includes details on significant inputs like raw materials and distribution channels and aligns them with the criteria of a SOC 2 report.Who Can Benefit from a SOC for Supply Chain Report?Emerging Technology CompaniesA SOC for Supply Chain report provides a comprehensive assessment of your supply chain's security posture, helping to identify and mitigate potential risks. Additionally, it enhances trust with your partners and customers by demonstrating a commitment to maintaining high security standards.Distribution/Warehouse CompaniesA SOC for Supply Chain report enhances customer confidence by demonstrating your company's commitment to security, ensuring that you have processes in place to manage customer inventory adequately and ensure products get where they need to go.Manufacturing CompaniesA SOC for Supply Chain report demonstrates a commitment to managing risks posed by suppliers in the manufacturing process and controls are implemented to ensure the security and integrity of final products.Ready to Get Started Contact us for more information on our SOC solutions and capabilities.Key Benefits of a SOC for Supply Chain Report include:Providing end users information about compliance with performance specification, commitments and requirements. For example, a software developer states all third-party libraries included in a new release are formally authorized and up to date, a SOC for Supply Chain report would determine if such a control is operating effectively.Reduce third party inquiries and assessment regarding supply chain risk management practices and controls.Competitive advantage for organizations that obtain a SOC for Supply Chain report. Potential customers may view your services or product more favorably if they have been independently assessed.Not sure if your organization needs a SOC examination? Download our SOC service overview or take our SOC assessment quiz to find out.Big Thinking. Personal Focus.Recognized for our deep SOC experience and established service model, we are leaders in the field and sought-after speakers on SOC reporting requirements both regionally and nationally. Key benefits of working with Schneider Downs include:Client-first approach to drive maximum value for you and your customersCollaborative working style to ensure knowledge transfer between our clients and teamIncorporation of Schneider Downs’ professionals based on the subject matter expertise required for each engagementIT leaders experienced in system controls (e.g., SOX, NIST, CMMC, COBIT, PCI DSS v4.0, CSA Star, HIPAA, HITRUST, and ISO 27001)Leaders with global project management expertiseRegistered as a firm with the AICPA and subject to peer review requirementsMember of the AICPA Enhanced Oversight Committee for SOC reportsWell-versed in reporting on controls at service organizationsSOC ServicesSOC Practice OverviewSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for Supply ChainSOC ResourcesVisit our SOC Resource Library for helpful thought leadership, including case studies and FAQs.About Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a distinctive approach to SOC reports by blending the expertise of IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals. Our integration of diverse knowledge and project management skills ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. To ensure our SOC reports meet your needs, we employ a rigorous Quality Control system and have peer reviews completed by external assessors on a regular basis. To explore how we can support your organization, please contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Cybersecurity Delivering SOC Reports With IT, Internal Audit, And External Audit Expertise A SOC for Cybersecurity examination from an independent CPA firm culminates in a report that describes the effectiveness of your cybersecurity risk management program. The report can be presented to your organization’s board of directors, analysts and investors, business partners, industry regulators and customers to demonstrate that there are effective cybersecurity controls in place to detect, respond to, mitigate and recover from organizational breaches and other security events.Not sure if your organization needs a SOC examination? Download our SOC service overview or take our SOC assessment quiz to find out.Ready to Get Started Contact us for more information on our SOC solutions and capabilities.Who Can Benefit from a SOC for Cybersecurity Report?Analysts and InvestorsThey may need to understand the cybersecurity risks that could threaten the achievement of your organization’s operational, reporting and compliance (legal and regulatory) objectives and, consequently, harm your organization’s value and stock price.Board of Director Members They may require information about the cybersecurity risks an organization faces and the current cybersecurity risk management program to fulfill their oversight responsibilities. They may also want information from independent third-party assessors to help them evaluate management’s effectiveness in managing cybersecurity risks.Business PartnersThey may require information about your organization’s cybersecurity risk management program as part of their overall risk assessment. This information is intended to help business partners determine matters such as whether there is a need for multiple suppliers for a good or service and the extent to which they choose to extend credit to your organization.Customers and Industry Regulators They may benefit from information about an organization’s cybersecurity risk management program to support their monitoring and oversight roles. Key Differences between SOC 2 and SOC for Cybersecurity SOC 2Audience - Typically requested by customers and stakeholders concerned with data security and privacy in outsourced services.Scope - Primarily for service organizations that need to report to users on security, availability, confidentiality, privacy or processing integrity commitments.Description Criteria - Includes information on an in-scope Service Commitments, Infrastructure, Software, Data, People, Processes and Procedures, and relevant aspects of the Control EnvironmentControls - Uses the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria (TSC) for assessments. The TSC includes security, availability, confidentiality, privacy and/or processing integrity.Timing - SOC 2 timing is up to the organization, but is typically an annual activity.SOC for CybersecurityAudience - Intended for a broader range of stakeholders, including boards of directors, investors and business partners, seeking assurance on an organization's cybersecurity posture.Scope - Can be applied to any organization even those that do not need to perform SOC 2.Description Criteria - Includes information on an entity’s cybersecurity risk management program. Elements that could be included are cybersecurity risk management objectives, critical assets and data, cybersecurity risk management governance, assessments and internal controls.Controls - Organization can choose the framework they wish to measure against.  This could be the SOC 2 TSC or another framework such as NIST Cyber Security Framework or ISO 27001 Information Security Management System.Timing - SOC for Cybersecurity timing is up to the organization, but is typically an annual activity.Big Thinking. Personal Focus.Recognized for our deep SOC experience and established service model, we are leaders in the field and sought-after speakers on SOC reporting requirements both regionally and nationally. Key benefits of working with Schneider Downs include:Client-first approach to drive maximum value for you and your customersCollaborative working style to ensure knowledge transfer between our clients and teamIncorporation of Schneider Downs’ professionals based on the subject matter expertise required for each engagementIT leaders experienced in system controls (e.g., SOX, NIST, CMMC, COBIT, PCI DSS v4.0, CSA Star, HIPAA, HITRUST, and ISO 27001)Leaders with global project management expertiseRegistered as a firm with the AICPA and subject to peer review requirementsMember of the AICPA Enhanced Oversight Committee for SOC reportsWell-versed in reporting on controls at service organizationsSOC ServicesSOC Practice OverviewSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for Supply ChainSOC ResourcesVisit our SOC Resource Library for helpful thought leadership, including case studies and FAQs.About Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a distinctive approach to SOC reports by blending the expertise of IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals. Our integration of diverse knowledge and project management skills ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. To ensure our SOC reports meet your needs, we employ a rigorous Quality Control system and have peer reviews completed by external assessors on a regular basis. To explore how we can support your organization, please contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### SOC 3 SOC 3 Examinations Delivering SOC Reports With IT, Internal Audit, And External Audit Expertise A SOC 3 report must be done in conjunction with a SOC 2 Type 2 report.  SOC 3 covers the same five categories as SOC 2 but does not require or need the knowledge necessary to effectively use the details contained in a SOC 2 report.The main reason a SOC 3 report is obtained is that the report can be posted on a public website or quickly provided to prospective customers, eliminating the need for a Non-Disclosure Agreement and reducing due diligence timelines for closing sales.Insights for Specific Risk AreasWe also provide other specialized reports, such as SOC for Cybersecurity and SOC for Supply Chain, to address the risk areas most important to you and your organization.Not sure if your organization needs a SOC examination? Download our SOC service overview or take our SOC assessment quiz to find out.Ready to Get Started Contact us for more information on our SOC solutions and capabilities.Big Thinking. Personal Focus.Recognized for our deep SOC experience and established service model, we are leaders in the field and sought-after speakers on SOC reporting requirements both regionally and nationally. Key benefits of working with Schneider Downs include:Client-first approach to drive maximum value for you and your customersCollaborative working style to ensure knowledge transfer between our clients and teamIncorporation of Schneider Downs’ professionals based on the subject matter expertise required for each engagementIT leaders experienced in system controls (e.g., SOX, NIST, CMMC, COBIT, PCI DSS v4.0, CSA Star, HIPAA, HITRUST, and ISO 27001)Leaders with global project management expertiseRegistered as a firm with the AICPA and subject to peer review requirementsMember of the AICPA Enhanced Oversight Committee for SOC reportsWell-versed in reporting on controls at service organizationsSOC ServicesSOC Practice OverviewSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for Supply ChainSOC for CybersecuritySOC ResourcesVisit our SOC Resource Library for helpful thought leadership, including case studies and FAQs.About Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a distinctive approach to SOC reports by blending the expertise of IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals. Our integration of diverse knowledge and project management skills ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. To ensure our SOC reports meet your needs, we employ a rigorous Quality Control system and have peer reviews completed by external assessors on a regular basis. To explore how we can support your organization, please contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### SOC 2 SOC 2 Examinations Delivering SOC Reports With IT, Internal Audit, And External Audit Expertise A SOC 2 examination is a report on controls at a service organization relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy.  SOC 2 reports are intended to meet the needs of a broad range of users needing detailed information and assurance about an organization’s controls to securely manage and use customer data during business operations.With the Security category as the foundation for a SOC 2 report, you can optionally choose four additional categories: Availability, Confidentiality, Privacy and Processing Integrity. These additional categories allow you to tailor your SOC 2 report to the services you provide while still adhering to a universal criterion. Including these categories may offer additional assurance to your customers.Once your organization selects the categories in scope, you can design controls to meet the criteria for each applicable category. This is your opportunity to specify the actions your organization performs. The controls you design help the reader understand how your organization meets the criteria for the chosen SOC 2 categories. These controls typically demonstrate processes for organizational oversight, vendor management, internal governance, logical and physical access and logical security.After choosing the categories and designing the controls, your organization will decide between a SOC 2 Type 1 or SOC 2 Type 2 examination. See below for additional details on the differences between these reports.Once you complete your SOC 2 audit, you can distribute the report to specified parties of your choosing. However, the use of these reports is restricted to specified parties and cannot be posted publicly. To address this, the AICPA has designed SOC 3 reports for public distribution. A SOC 3 report is performed in tandem with your SOC 2 report, requiring no additional work for your organization, as all inputs are obtained during the SOC 2 audit fieldwork.Examples of Service Organizations that Benefit from SOC 2 Engagements:Application Hosting ServicesColocation and Managed ServicesClaims Processing and Healthcare Benefit AdministrationDatabase AdministrationData Centers or Data Processing Service BureausEnterprise Data Management SolutionsInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS) SolutionsInvestment Management Services / Retirement Plan AdministrationManaged Service ProvidersMortgage, Title, Closing and Appraisal ServicesPlatform as a Service (PaaS) SolutionsSoftware as a Service (SaaS) SolutionsThird-Party AdministratorsWeb or Cloud Hosting ServicesReady to Get Started? Contact us for more information on our SOC solutions and capabilities.What’s Inside a SOC 2 Report?There are a few important terms to understand when reading a SOC 2 report. Independent Service Auditor refers to the auditor that your organization works with. Service Organization refers to the organization – you! Service/Platform refers to the service you provide your customers.A SOC 2 report contains the following sections:Section 1: Independent Service Auditors ReportSection 2: Management’s AssertionSection 3: Management’s Description of the Organization/Service/Platform (i.e., System Description)Section 4: Information Provided by the Service Auditor (i.e., controls)Section 5: Other Information Provided by Management (optional)What Type of SOC 2 Engagement is Right for You?SOC 2 Readiness Assessment – Plan for a successful SOC 2 examination. Readiness Assessments are non-attest consulting engagements aimed at designing controls, identifying control gaps, and advising corrective actions before a SOC examination. We collaborate with clients to align relevant trust service categories and criteria, addressing risks important to user organizations.SOC 2 Type 1 –  As the Independent Service Auditor, we evaluate 1) the fairness of the presentation of the Service Organization’s system description in accordance with the description criteria and 2) the suitability of the design of the controls to provide reasonable assurance that the Service Organization’s service commitments and system requirements would be achieved based on the trust services criteria relevant to the applicable trust services categories as of a specified date. The SOC 2 Type 1 may benefit organizations that have never completed an examination, since it assesses the design of controls at a specified date.SOC 2 Type 2 – As the Independent Service Auditor, we evaluate 1) the fairness of the presentation of the service organization’s system description in accordance with the description criteria, 2) the suitability of the design, and 3) operating effectiveness of the controls to provide reasonable assurance that the Service Organization’s service commitments and system requirements would be achieved based on the trust services criteria relevant to the applicable trust services categories over a specified period. The SOC 2 Type 2 examination is recommended for organizations that have had a readiness assessment or completed a Type 1 examination, as it evaluates both control design and operating effectiveness over time. The period of time a SOC 2 Type 2 report covers is typically 12 months but periods as short as 3 months can be used for a first-time report or to meet service commitments.SOC 2+ –  SOC 2 reports are produced under the AICPA’s AT-C Section 105 and AT-C Section 205 standards for attestation engagements. These standards provide a framework for evaluating and reporting on controls at the Service Organization. Additional frameworks can be added and evaluated in the same way we use these standards as a framework for evaluating controls against the applicable SOC 2 categories. Here are a few examples of SOC 2 + reports:SOC 2 + CSA STARSOC 2 + HIPAASOC 2 + HITRUSTSOC 2 + ISO 27001SOC 2 + NIST 800-171SOC 2 + NIST 800-853SOC 2 + PCIIt’s important to note that a SOC 2 + report does not provide any certification. For example, in the case of a SOC 2 + ISO 27001 report, the objective of the Independent Service Auditor is to state whether there was reasonable assurance to determine the Service Organization’s controls met the requirements within ISO 27001, as opposed to providing a certification for ISO 27001. Please browse our SOC report FAQs for more information on the different types of reports available to you.Insights for Specific Risk AreasWe also provide SOC 3 examinations and other specialized reports, such as SOC for Cybersecurity and SOC for Supply Chain, to address the risk areas most important to you and your organization.Not sure if your organization needs a SOC examination? Download our SOC service overview or take our SOC assessment quiz to find out.Big Thinking. Personal Focus.“Schneider Downs takes a refreshingly pragmatic approach to SOC2 and other compliance initiatives.” Recognized for our deep SOC experience and established service model, we are leaders in the field and sought-after speakers on SOC reporting requirements both regionally and nationally. Key benefits of working with Schneider Downs include:Client-first approach to drive maximum value for you and your customersCollaborative working style to ensure knowledge transfer between our clients and teamIncorporation of Schneider Downs’ professionals based on the subject matter expertise required for each engagementIT leaders experienced in system controls (e.g., SOX, NIST, CMMC, COBIT, PCI DSS v4.0, CSA Star, HIPAA, HITRUST, and ISO 27001)Leaders with global project management expertiseRegistered as a firm with the AICPA and subject to peer review requirementsMember of the AICPA Enhanced Oversight Committee for SOC reportsWell-versed in reporting on controls at service organizationsSOC ServicesSOC Practice OverviewSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for Supply ChainSOC for CybersecuritySOC ResourcesVisit our SOC Resource Library for helpful thought leadership, including case studies and FAQs.About Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a distinctive approach to SOC reports by blending the expertise of IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals. Our integration of diverse knowledge and project management skills ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. To ensure our SOC reports meet your needs, we employ a rigorous Quality Control system and have peer reviews completed by external assessors on a regular basis. To explore how we can support your organization, please contact us to get started.Schneider Downs National ReachSchneider Downs provides SOC 2 reports to companies in: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD), Boise (ID), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Cincinnati (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Las Vegas (NV), Lexington (KY), Little Rock (AR), Los Angeles (CA), Memphis (TN), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Omaha (NE), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Providence (RI), Portland (OR), Richmond (VA), St. Louis (MO), Santa Fe (NM), Seattle (WA), Washington (D.C.) and Wilmington (DE).DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM ANDORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT?TAKE A FREE ASSESSMENT QUIZ View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### SOC 1 SOC 1 Examinations Delivering SOC Reports With IT, Internal Audit, And External Audit Expertise SOC 1 examinations evaluate your organization’s operational processes and IT controls. The reports are specifically designed to meet the needs of entities that use service organizations and their external auditors as they evaluate the effect of the controls at the service organization on user entities’ financial statements. Use of these reports is restricted to the management team of the service organization, user entities and user auditors.Examples of Service Organizations that Benefit from SOC 1 Engagements:Application Service ProvidersBack Office ServicesClaims Processing and Healthcare Benefits AdministrationCollection ServicesData Centers or Data Processing Service BureausExpense Management and Bill ProcessingFacilities Maintenance and Vendor ManagementInventory Management/Logistics/Reverse Logistics ServicesInvestment Management Services / Retirement Plan AdministrationMortgage, Title, Closing and Appraisal ServicesPayroll Processing ServicesThird-Party AdministratorsWeb or Cloud Hosting ServicesWhat Type of SOC 1 Engagement is Right for You?Readiness Assessment – Readiness Assessments are non-attest consulting engagements designed to identify control gaps and advise the service organization of necessary corrective actions in preparation for a successful SOC examination. We work closely with service organizations to ensure mutual agreement on the control objectives and risks significant to user organizations.SOC 1 Type 1 – Evaluate the fairness of the presentation of the service organization’s system description and the suitability of the design of the controls in meeting the related control objectives as of a specific date. SOC 1 Type 1 may benefit organizations that have never completed an examination, since it assesses the design of controls at a specified date.SOC 1 Type 2 – Evaluate the fairness of the presentation of the service organization’s system description and the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of the controls in meeting the related control objectives over a specified period. The SOC 1 Type 2 examination is recommended for those who have completed a readiness assessment or a Type 1 examination, as it evaluates both the design and operating effectiveness of controls over time.Insights for Specific Risk AreasWe also provide SOC 3 examinations and other specialized reports, such as SOC for Cybersecurity and SOC for Supply Chain, to address the risk areas most important to you and your organization.Not sure if your organization needs a SOC examination? Download our SOC service overview or take our SOC assessment quiz to find out.Ready to Get Started Contact us for more information on our SOC solutions and capabilities.Big Thinking. Personal Focus.Recognized for our deep SOC experience and established service model, we are leaders in the field and sought-after speakers on SOC reporting requirements both regionally and nationally. Key benefits of working with Schneider Downs include:Client-first approach to drive maximum value for you and your customersCollaborative working style to ensure knowledge transfer between our clients and teamIncorporation of Schneider Downs’ professionals based on the subject matter expertise required for each engagementIT leaders experienced in system controls (e.g., SOX, NIST, CMMC, COBIT, PCI DSS v4.0, CSA Star, HIPAA, HITRUST, and ISO 27001)Leaders with global project management expertiseRegistered as a firm with the AICPA and subject to peer review requirementsMember of the AICPA Enhanced Oversight Committee for SOC reportsWell-versed in reporting on controls at service organizationsSOC ServicesSOC Practice OverviewSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for Supply ChainSOC for CybersecuritySOC ResourcesVisit our SOC Resource Library for helpful thought leadership, including case studies and FAQs.About Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a distinctive approach to SOC reports by blending the expertise of IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals. Our integration of diverse knowledge and project management skills ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. To ensure our SOC reports meet your needs, we employ a rigorous Quality Control system and have peer reviews completed by external assessors on a regular basis. To explore how we can support your organization, please contact us to get started. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Subservice Organizations: Their Role and Impact on Your SOC Report In today’s interconnected business landscape, understanding the role of subservice organizations in SOC (System and Organization Controls) reports is paramount.… Read More > 20 Pre-Contract Questions To Ask Your Next SOC 2 Audit Firm What information do you need to know before your SOC 2 audit?When it comes time for a SOC 2 report,… Read More > What Should a Service Organization Consider When Determining Its SOC Report Testing Period? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants does not mandate a minimum testing and reporting period for System and Organization… Read More > What is blockchain? How can I secure my blockchain environment? What is Blockchain:Blockchain definitions vary by source, but at its essence, blockchain is a continually expanding list of digital records… Read More > The Benefits of a Compliance Automation Platform An organization without established security and governance is as good as a straw home; a wolf is bound to blow… Read More > Which SOC Report Is Right for You? Selecting the appropriate System and Organization Controls (SOC) report requires knowledge of the types of reports available. The American Institute… Read More > What Evidence Is Requested During SOC 2 Audits? One of the most common questions our team fields is what kind of evidence is requested for SOC 2 audits?… Read More > What is a SOC 3 Report? One of the most common questions we hear field is, what is a SOC 3 report and do we need… Read More > How To Scope a SOC 2 Audit One of the most common questions we hear from clients and colleagues is how do you scope a SOC 2… Read More > Do I Need a SOC 2 Type 1 Before a SOC 2 Type 2? Should I engage a CPA firm to perform a SOC 2 Type 1 audit before jumping straight into a SOC… Read More > Why Do CPA Firms Perform SOC 2 Audits? One question our team hears from non-industry contacts and friends is why do CPA firms perform SOC 2 audits?The technical reasons… Read More > Fact or Fiction: SOC 2 There is a lot of misleading information about SOC 2 audits out in the wild. Hopefully, this article clears up… Read More > Getting Started with SOC 2 Reports Need some help getting started with SOC 2 Reports and don’t know where to begin?Before you get stuck in a… Read More > SOC 2 – The Importance of Leadership Buy-In In our experience, there is one key factor that almost always leads to a successful SOC 2 audit— leadership buy-in. So… Read More > What’s the Difference Between SOC 1 and SOC 2 Reports? What are the differences and similarities between SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports? SOC 1 Reports SOC 1 reports focus… Read More > Benefits of a System and Organization Controls (SOC) Report With the increasing utilization of third-party service providers, the need for trust and transparency between service organizations and their customers… Read More > How Internal Audit Can Assist with SOC Reviews at Higher Education Institutions With the rise of cloud computing and software-as-a-service (SaaS) playing a key role within higher education institutions, outsourcing certain functions… Read More > What is a SOC for Cybersecurity report and who needs one? Organizations that undergo a SOC for Cybersecurity examination will obtain a report on the effectiveness of their cybersecurity risk management… Read More > What is a SOC Report and Who Needs One? What are SOC reports?System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, formerly Service Organization Control reports, are examinations provided by CPAs in… Read More > How to Review a Vendor’s SOC Report When Microsoft reported a 12% increase in revenue in their latest quarterly earnings report, the company attributed much of that… Read More > ### SOC Services SOC Services Delivering SOC Reports With IT, Internal Audit, And External Audit Expertise Your clients and prospects want assurance that their data and transactions are handled with integrity. A System and Organization Controls (SOC) report provides the transparency and trust needed to demonstrate your commitment to strong controls and processes.https://vimeo.com/696683679Schneider Downs is a trusted provider of SOC examinations with proven experience and demonstrated expertise. Annually, we deliver more than 200 reports to a global client base spanning numerous industries.What Type of SOC Report is Right for You?We can work with you to determine which report will evaluate the controls you want to measure. We offer the following types of SOC reports:SOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsInsights for Specific Risk AreasWe also provide SOC 3 examinations and other specialized reports, such as SOC for Cybersecurity and SOC for Supply Chain, to address the risk areas most important to you and your organization.Not sure if your organization needs a SOC examination? Download our SOC service overview or take our SOC assessment quiz to find out.Ready to Get Started Contact us for more information on our SOC solutions and capabilities.What Our Clients Are Saying: “I’ve never been a fan of compliance for its own sake—checkbox exercises don’t equal real security. Schneider Downs brings a mindset and methodology that avoids the performative and focuses on meaningful outcomes.” “Schneider Downs takes a refreshingly pragmatic approach to SOC2 and other compliance initiatives.” Big Thinking. Personal Focus.Recognized for our deep SOC experience and established service model, we are leaders in the field and sought-after speakers on SOC reporting requirements both regionally and nationally. Key benefits of working with Schneider Downs include:Client-first approach to drive maximum value for you and your customersCollaborative working style to ensure knowledge transfer between our clients and teamIncorporation of Schneider Downs’ professionals based on the subject matter expertise required for each engagementIT leaders experienced in system controls (e.g., SOX, NIST, CMMC, COBIT, PCI DSS v4.0, CSA Star, HIPAA, HITRUST, and ISO 27001)Leaders with global project management expertiseRegistered as a firm with the AICPA and subject to peer review requirementsMember of the AICPA Enhanced Oversight Committee for SOC reportsWell-versed in reporting on controls at service organizationsSOC ServicesSOC Practice OverviewSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for Supply ChainSOC for CybersecuritySOC ResourcesVisit our SOC Resource Library for helpful thought leadership, including case studies and FAQs.About Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a distinctive approach to SOC reports by blending the expertise of IT, internal audit, and external audit professionals. Our integration of diverse knowledge and project management skills ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. To ensure our SOC reports meet your needs, we employ a rigorous Quality Control system and have peer reviews completed by external assessors on a regular basis. To explore how we can support your organization, please contact us to get started. View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### ERISA Frequently Asked Questions Employee Benefit Plan Audit - ERISA Requirement Frequently Asked Questions PRIMARY CONTACT: Patricia Giudici, CPA Employee benefit plan audits are required for a majority of plans that are covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). With increased scrutiny on employee benefit plan audits, the Schneider Downs ERISA group has prepared a listing of Frequently Asked Questions to help parties better understand the requirements and types of benefit plan audits, including the required filings, characteristics to look for in an audit firm, and advice on preparation for an audit. What is ERISA? The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, protects the assets of employees so that funds placed in retirement plans during their working lives will be available when they retire. ERISA is a federal law that establishes certain standards for retirement plans in the private industry.  For example, ERISA specifies (1) minimum standards for employee eligibility, vesting and funding, (2) fiduciary responsibilities and standards, (3) reporting and disclosure requirements, and (4) enforcement responsibilities.  Additionally, certain parts of ERISA are coordinated with applicable tax-related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. What types of benefit plans are subject to ERISA? In general, ERISA applies to the following types of benefit plans: Pension plans sponsored by non-governmental organizations.  Pension plans include both defined benefit and defined contribution plans.  Examples of defined contributions plans include, but are not limited to, profit-sharing plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and 403(b) plan arrangements. Welfare benefit plans (insured or otherwise), providing health insurance, group life insurance, long-term disability income, severance pay, vacation benefits, training programs, daycare centers, scholarship funds, and prepaid legal services Health Reimbursements Accounts (HRAs) Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) What type of retirement plan should I provide to my employees? The type of plan that an organization provides depends on a number of factors, including the size of the organization, the employer’s commitment to providing benefits, the organization’s goals and objectives, the costs of maintaining the plan, etc. Employers should work closely with knowledgeable retirement plan advisors to identify the specific retirement plan program that is appropriate for their organization and employees. What reporting and disclosure requirements are associated with a plan subject to ERISA? There are a number of different federal reporting and employee disclosure requirements associated with maintaining a benefit plan that is subject to ERISA.  While many of these requirements are consistent across all types of ERISA plans (Form 5500 reporting, for example), others depend upon a plan’s specific provisions and features. To assist plan sponsors with identifying their reporting and disclosure responsibilities, the Department of Labor has published a Reporting and Disclosure Guide for Employee Benefit Plans, which can be found at https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/reporting-and-disclosure-guide-for-employee-benefit-plans.pdf How much can be contributed to a retirement plan? Qualified plan contributions are subject to various limitations under the Internal Revenue Code.  These limitations are updated annually by the IRS.  The following chart provides a comprehensive listing of the current contribution limits: What are the current various IRS limitations on benefits and compensation? IRS Limits 2021 2022 Compensation limit $290,000 $305,000 401(k) deferral limit $19,500 $20,500 401(k) catch-up limit $6,500 $6,500 Defined contribution individual limit* $58,000 $61,000 IRA contribution limit (49 and under) $6,000 $6,000 IRA contribution limit (50 and above) $7,000 $7,000 *Excludes catch-up limits Who is a fiduciary and what are the general responsibilities of a fiduciary? A fiduciary is any individual who has discretionary control or authority over plan management or assets, or responsibility for plan administration or provides investment advice (or has the authority to) for compensation. Fiduciaries include, but are not limited to, plan trustees, plan administrators and members of the plan’s investment committee. Fiduciaries have important responsibilities and are subject to standards of conduct because they act on behalf of participants in a retirement plan and their beneficiaries. These responsibilities include acting solely in the interest of plan participants and their beneficiaries and with the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them; carrying out their duties prudently; following the plan documents (unless inconsistent with ERISA); diversifying plan investments; and paying only reasonable plan expenses. The duty to act prudently is one of a fiduciary’s central responsibilities under ERISA and requires expertise in a variety of areas, such as investments. While many fiduciaries will hire professionals to assist with carrying out these responsibilities, it is important to note that he/she will retain a fiduciary responsibility to monitor the chosen service providers. Who is required to file a form 5500? Form 5500 must be completed by the sponsor of any plan subject to ERISA. When is the deadline for completing the audit of an employee benefit plan and filing Form 5500? The Form 5500 (and accompanying audit report, if required) is due seven months after the last day of the plan year (July 31 for calendar year-end plans), and can be extended for an additional 2½ months, to October 15 for calendar year-end plans. Are there employee benefit plans that are not subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and therefore don't have an annual reporting obligation? Yes. Governmental plans and church plans are exempt from Title I of ERISA as well as certain types of 403(b) plans that qualify under the safe harbor rules. You should consult with ERISA counsel if you believe your plan may be exempt from the reporting obligations of Title I. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in significant penalties being assessed to your plan. When is an audit of an employee benefit plan required? Generally, employee benefit plans with 100 or more participants (includes eligible, but not participating as well as separated employees with account balances) are considered to be “large” plans and are required to have an audit performed on an annual basis. Plans with fewer than 100 participants (“small” plans) generally do not require an audit to be performed. Are there any exceptions to these general rules? Yes, an exception to these general rules does exist. The "80-120 rule" as it is called may permit plans with more than 100 participants to be treated as a “small” plan. In instances where a plan existed in the previous year, was treated as a small plan for that year and has no more than 120 participants (as of the beginning of the plan year), it may continue to file as a small plan, and no audit will be required. There is no limit to the number of years this rule may be applied. This means a plan may have up to 120 participants for many years without having an audit requirement. However, if a new plan (no previous Form 5500 filing) has 100 or more participants (as of the beginning of the plan year), it must file as a “large” plan, and therefore, would require an audit. What are the audit requirements for a welfare benefit plan? Medical, dental, short- and long-term disability and other types of welfare benefit plans only require an audit if funded. Often, benefits from these plans are paid out of the general assets of the employer/plan sponsor, or through insurance rather than a trust. If the plan uses a trust, it will be considered a funded plan, and an audit will be required if there are 100 or more participants. What are the audit requirements for short plan years? If the plan year is seven months or less, the audit for the short plan year may be deferred until the following plan year. The plan audit for the short plan year still needs to be performed; however, the audit report is filed with the following year's Form 5500. Filing of the short plan year's Form 5500 is not deferred. If the election to defer the audit is elected and the plan participant count falls under 100 for the subsequent plan year, the plan must still meet the large plan filing requirements in that subsequent year. What is an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(c) audit? An ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit permits the plan administrator the option of not having investment information (at the plan level only) tested during the audit. In order to permit a limited scope audit, the investment information must be certified by the trustee or custodian as ‘complete and accurate.’ Certifications of completeness or accuracy, but not both, do not qualify for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit. Additionally, the certification cannot be from a broker/dealer. The certification must be from a qualified institution. Under Department of Labor (DOL) regulations a qualified institution is one that is regulated and subject to periodic examination by a state of Federal agency such as a bank, trust company, or similar institution including an insurance company. The ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit exception does not apply to any other audit areas (i.e., participant data, contributions, distributions, etc.) only to investments. Do all plans qualify to have a limited scope audit? No. 11-k audits (audits of a public company’s employee benefit plan that contains plan sponsor stock), master trust arrangements with certification only at the master level, church and governmental plans and assets held outside of a trust are not eligible for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit audits. Additionally, plans whereby the assets are not held by a qualified institution do not qualify for an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(c) audit. What types of items do plan auditors ask for? The area of most focus in a plan audit should be on participant-related transactions and activity. This includes payroll information, deferral percentages, demographic information, distribution paperwork, claims paid (for health & welfare plans), and, most importantly, the plan document provisions. Without the plan document, an audit should not be started. Just as important as participant data is the plan’s investments. As noted above, the level of audit procedures for investments varies in an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit or full scope audit. However, no matter what the scope, a plan’s financial statements must contain all disclosures required by the financial report framework (generally accepted accounting principles). What are the five most common tips for a successful employee benefit plan audit? Prepare and be proactive: Ensure that the timing of the audit is agreed upon with the audit team and ensure the audit team has provided the client assistance listing in advance of fieldwork. Suggest alternatives: If there are difficulties in fulfilling an audit request, talk to your audit team. There may be alternative reports your auditor can use to accomplish the required test. Communicate: Request regular status meetings with your audit team to discuss open items, testing exceptions, and more. Set Realistic timelines: The timeline should be agreed upon by both the plan sponsor and the audit team in advance. If the plan is going through an audit for the first time, make sure to build additional time into the schedule. Ask Questions: Audit teams welcome the opportunity to answer questions. The audit process should be an interactive process. What is the American Institute of CPAs Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC)? The EBPAQC is a voluntary membership organization for firms performing ERISA employee benefit plan audits and was established to promote the quality of employee benefit plan audits.  The EBPAQC provides members with timely communication of regulatory updates, best practices guidance, technical updates and member to member discussion forums to discuss these matters. What are the membership requirements of the American Institute of CPAs EBPAQC? Membership requirements include designating an audit partner to have firm-wide responsibility for the quality of the firm’s ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice; establishing a program to ensure that all ERISA employee benefit audit plan audit engagement personnel possess current knowledge, appropriate for their level of involvement in the engagement; establishing annual internal inspection procedures that include a review of the firms ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice; establishing policies and procedures specific to the firm's ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice to comply with the applicable professional standards and EBPAQC member requirements. Why should I look for an audit firm that is a member of the EBPAQC? Studies by the DOL of employee benefit plan audits show a much smaller deficiency rate in firms that belong to the EBPAQC than those that do not.  Given the fiduciary responsibility of the plan sponsor to have a quality audit performed, this becomes a very significant factor to consider. What is an ERISA Fidelity Bond? An ERISA fidelity bond is a required type of insurance that protects the plan against losses caused by fraud or dishonesty.  It is different from fiduciary liability insurance (which is not required but encouraged), which insures fiduciaries against losses caused by breaches of fiduciary responsibilities. Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Resources Schneider Downs ERISA Services  Schneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' Articles Schneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan Services About Schneider Downs ERISA The Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that include both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans page or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. VIEW PDF VERSION PDF Version CONTACT US "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthPhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Employee Benefit Plan Resources Employee Benefit Plan Resources PRIMARY CONTACT: Patricia Giudici, CPAThe Schneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan team has compiled the following resources and links that may provide useful tools and information for your organization. Employee Plan Benefits Third Party LinksAICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality CenterAICPA's Limited Scope Certification Review Documentation ToolCybersecurity Considerations for Benefit PlansDelinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program Penalty (DFVCP) CalculatorDepartment of LaborDepartment of Labor Reporting and Disclosure Guide for Employee Benefit PlansEmployee Benefits Security Administration ERISA Advisory Council ReportsEmployer Resource Site (Established by the Department of Labor)Frequently Asked Questions about the Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program (DFVCP)Internal Revenue Service - Retirement PlansIRS 401(k) Plan Fix-it GuideIRS Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) OverviewPension Benefit Guaranty CorporationPrudent Practices for Investment FiduciariesRetirement Plans - Questions to Expect From Your Plan AuditorEBPAQC Plan AdvisoriesEffective Monitoring of Outsourced Plan Recordkeeping and Reporting Functions Employee Benefit Plans - Financial Statement Audits Internal Controls in Financial Reporting and Safeguarding Plan AssetsPartial Employee Benefit Plan Terminations The Importance of Hiring a Quality Auditor to Perform Your Employee Benefit Plan Audit  Understanding Auditor Communications Valuing and Reporting Plan Investments Schneider Downs Employee Benefit Plans ResourcesSchneider Downs FAQ - Employee Benefit Plan Audit RequirementSchneider Downs ERISA Employee Benefit Plan Services BrochureSchneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' ArticlesAbout Schneider Downs ERISAThe Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services, but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that includes both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, visit www.schneiderdowns.com/audit-assurance-services-employee-benefit-plans or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Employee Benefit Plan Services Employee Benefit Plan Services PRIMARY CONTACT: Patricia Giudici, CPA The Schnieder Downs Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Services group performs: Audit Services 401(k), 403(b), and profit sharing plans, including 11-K Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Defined benefit and cash balance plans Health and welfare plans Consulting, Fiduciary, and Administrative Solutions* Plan governance assessment, implementation and maintenance Fiduciary and participant education Investment menu analysis, including target date fund suitability Fee benchmarking, including requests for proposals (RFPs) Customized plan design analysis and implementation Open architecture retirement plan platform Individual Retirement Account (IRAs) solutions Third-party administrative services, including: Compliance and nondiscrimination testing Form 5500 preparation Recordkeeping for daily-valued individual account plans Plan document preparation Distribution processing Participant reporting and notification Plan corrections under EPCRS (IRS), DFVCP (EBSA), and VFCP (DOL) Assistance with IRS and DOL examinations Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) consulting and administration, including feasibility analysis, repurchase obligation, and 409(p) testing (where applicable) Nonqualified plan design and implementation Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Resources Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Schneider Downs FAQ - Employee Benefit Plan Audit Requirement Schneider Downs ERISA Employee Benefit Plan Services Brochure Schneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' Articles Employee Benefit Plan Resources About Schneider Downs ERISA The Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services, but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that includes both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, visit Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. *Consulting and Fiduciary Services are provided by SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions, LP (SDARS) and Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA). SDARS performs third-party administrative services for retirement plans.  These services typically include design and plan documentation, compliance testing and reporting, recordkeeping, contribution processing, and distribution services. SDWMA is a Registered Investment Advisor providing investment management services to plan sponsors, including discretionary and non-discretionary investment advice regarding a plan’s investment options, the ongoing monitoring of those options and participant education. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Confident compliance for your benefit plans.PRIMARY CONTACT:Patricia Giudici, CPAWe apply the experience of more than 60 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of employee benefit plans.Our diverse Employee Benefit Plan practice dictates that we perform audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards for compliance with the Department of Labor's (DOL) Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) for:Defined contribution plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans, profit sharing plans and 11-K filingsDefined benefit plans, including pension plans and cash balance plansHealth and welfare plansEmployee stock ownership plansWe have been a member of the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC) since its inception. As a member of the EBPAQC, we are required to have a designated ERISA partner, quality control process, annual internal inspections of employee benefit plans and a public peer review report. Additionally, we have a firm-wide employee benefit plan training program, providing specialized training to all professional staff within the firm to stay current on ERISA, DOL, and Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations.We are committed to superior quality and responsive and efficient service. Our expertise in serving employee benefit plans enables us to provide timely, well-researched answers to your most important questions and to accurately address your needs with a solid foundation of knowledge that only experience can provide. We focus on understanding the technical aspects of the plans, and we combine this focus with the judgement and extensive experience of our professionals in auditing employee benefit plans.We are members of the Center for Public Company Audit Firms and the Private Companies Practice Section of the AICPA's Division of Firms, which requires mandatory continuing education for all members of the professional staff and a triennial peer review of a firm's quality control system in its practice of public accounting.We are registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, committing the firm to the highest standards of the profession and enabling us to deliver audit services to SEC registrants.Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans ResourcesSchneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan ServicesSchneider Downs FAQ - Employee Benefit Plan Audit RequirementSchneider Downs ERISA Employee Benefit Plan Services BrochureSchneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' ArticlesEmployee Benefit Plan ResourcesAbout Schneider Downs ERISAThe Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services, but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that includes both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance ServicesSchneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all of their audit and assurance needs. We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans. Learn more about our Audit and Assurance Services at Audit Assurance Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study Excerpt: Gain confidence in plan compliance, accuracy, and trust. ### Audit and Assurance Services Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all of their audit and assurance needs. Contact Us Today Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans We apply the experience of more than 60 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of employee benefit plans. Learn More > SOC Practice Overview Schneider Downs provides System and Organization Controls (SOC) examinations nationally to over 100 clients annually in a variety of industries. Learn More > Public Companies Schneider Downs provides audit, assurance and consulting services to publicly traded businesses in a wide range of industries. Learn More > International Assurance Services While the global marketplace offers unique challenges, we’re here to help your business with domestic and foreign needs. Learn More > Accounting Advisory Services Schneider Downs Consulting offers a variety of technical accounting advisory services, as well as outsourced accounting and finance advisory services. Learn More > Our Thoughts On Articles and insights written by our professionals on audit topics most important to you Learn More > Audit Case Studies Learn how our audit services have helped businesses manage risk, ensure compliance, enhance operational efficiency and more. Click Here We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans.Our clients confirm that it is our service philosophy that sets us apart from other public accounting firms:Proactive communication, responsiveness and accessibilityRisk-based audit approachExtensive executive involvementExceptional value through a practical approachExpertise resident in our officesAll firm resources available for each engagementOur engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.Schneider Downs is registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and is a member of the AICPA’s Center for Public Company Audit Firms, the Private Companies Practice Section, the Governmental Audit Quality Center and the AICPA's Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center.Our firm's professional standards and compliance with the rules of our profession have been assured by those bodies who are responsible for regulating our industry. Such bodies have conducted evaluations of our practice and system of quality control to ensure our firm’s adherence to the highest standards of the profession. We have earned unmodified reports in all of our peer reviews. The PCAOB issued a report.We are the firm of choice for financial statement audit and providing customized, independent solutions. ### Site Map Site Map Services Audit and Assurance Services ESG Assurance Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Services Resources Frequently Asked Questions SOC Practice Overview SOC Reports SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Public Companies Assurance Services International Assurance Services Accounting Advisory Services Tax Services Tax About Us Tax Compliance and Consulting Business Tax Individual Tax Not-for-profit Tax Gift, Trust and Estate Services Managed Tax Services Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Income Tax Provisions – ASC 740 and IFRS Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Abandoned/Unclaimed Property Excise & Motor Fuels Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax Property Tax Sales/Use Tax Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services State Credits and Incentives Tax Advisory Services – International Expatriate Tax Export Incentives FATCA and Nonresident Withholding Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring International Tax Reporting and Planning International Withholding Tax Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions Tax Credits and Incentives Research & Development Cost Segregation PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives Tax Transaction Advisory Due Diligence Transaction Cost Analysis Tax All Services Consulting Services About Us Services Technology and Data Services Risk Advisory Services M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Financial Advisory Services Meet the Team Contact Us Private Client Services Main Navigation Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Service Offerings Meet Our Private Client Services Team Insights Contact Us Footer Navigation Privacy Policy Service Disruption Disclaimer Wealth Management Ultra High Net Worth Investors High Net Worth Investors Voyage Program Financial Planning Institutions and Non-Profits Retirement Solutions Advisory Services Consulting ESOP Services Recordkeeping Third-Party Administration Services Executive Compensation Retirement Plan Fiduciary Risk Assessment Industries Automotive Construction Emerging Technology Energy & Resources Financial Government Healthcare Higher Education International International Resources Manufacturing Resources Not-for-Profit Resources Private Equity Firm Services Professional Services Real Estate Retail & Business-to-Consumer Transportation & Logistics Resources Resources Our Thoughts On Our Thoughts On 2008-2014 Remote Learning Video Library Events Events Events Archive Build Back Better Update Center Tax Reform 2021 – Letters COVID-19 Resource Center Media Center Audio About Us SD Standard Case Studies Management Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) History Mission and Corporate Values Peer Review News Diversity Locations Pittsburgh, PA Columbus, OH Metropolitan Washington PrimeGlobal Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World Careers Schneider Downs Careers Experienced Professionals Students & Entry-Level Careers Explorers Program All Openings Enjoy More of What Counts Flexibility Growth & Development Total Rewards Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Privacy Policy Legal Information Copyright and Permissions Disclaimers Site Map ### Legal Information Legal Information Please click on the links below for legal information. Copyright & Permissions Disclaimers ### Careers Schneider Downs Careers Start building a career with people motivated to help you succeed and enjoy more of what counts Experienced Professionals LEARN MORE Emerging Talent LEARN MORE MORE OF WHAT COUNTS. As a trusted advisor in the professional services industry, you know what matters most to clients: Big Thinking with a Personal Focus. You also know what matters most to your own success, including: career growth, work-life flexibility, leadership that cares about your ability to succeed, the opportunity to give and receive one-on-one coaching and mentoring, as well as learning opportunities that inspire professional development. As a member of the Schneider Downs team, you will be joining one of the 60 largest, independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) and professional services firm providing audit, tax, consulting, and wealth management services to clients in the United States and around the world.  We take pride in our expertise and vast array of services that support clients across diverse industries, giving you the platform to leverage your personal talent and experiences on a variety of interesting and challenging projects. Join our team at Schneider Downs where flexibility, growth, impactful work, and a collaborative mindset await you. Ready to learn more? See All Job Openings FEATURED JOB OPENINGS Audit Senior Audit Columbus OH As an Audit Senior, you will be a vital part of our Audit and Assurance Practice where you will have the opportunity to play a key… Learn More > Tax Manager – Core Tax Pittsburgh PA As a Tax Manager – Core, you will provide tax consulting and compliance services, as well as oversee all aspects of the tax planning, preparation and… Learn More > Business Advisory Manager – Transactions Advisory Services Remote As a Business Advisory Manager – Transactions, you will be part of a team that is committed to assisting clients with critical business decisions by applying… Learn More > Audit Manager Audit Columbus OH As an Audit Manager, you will provide best in class audit, consulting and compliance services, as well as oversee day-to-day operations of engagements. In this role, you… Learn More > Financial Solutions Architect SD Digital Remote Our growing SD Digital practice is committed to providing value-added technology services and solutions to our clients. Our Digital Modernization practice empowers organizations with transformative… Learn More > See all openings WORK-LIFE BALANCE Achieve the work-life balance you deserve read more total rewards Compensation and benefits encompass opportunities, incentives and extras that simply make your professional life better. read more PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Grow, develop and learn with our total support. read more Diversity and Inclusion Embrace our differences and celebrate what we can accomplish together Learn More Why Work At Schneider Downs? Explore Schneider Downs. You'll like what you see. Learn More ### About Us Big Thinking. Personal focus. We’re proud of our client roster of well-established regional businesses, not-for-profits and exciting start-ups. But we are even more proud that we’ve never lost focus on what is really important: the personal connections we make with every client. Big Thinking. Personal Focus. This is what has made us who we are today, and it will guide our actions in the future. Since 1956, Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. has been providing accounting, tax, consulting and business advisory services through innovative thought leaders who deliver their expertise to meet the individual needs of each client. At Schneider Downs, we're proud that we've built a client list of powerful Fortune 500 companies, well-established regional businesses, not-for-profits and exciting start-ups. But we are even prouder that we have never lost focus on what is really important: the personal connections we make with every one of our clients. We provide them national and international-level expertise, while volunteering in the neighborhoods they live in. We know what matters to their businesses, and we care deeply about what happens in their lives. Big Thinking. Personal Focus. This is what has made us who we are today, and this is what will guide our purpose and actions in the future. Schneider Downs works with large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities, service firms and professional associations. We help our clients reach their goals through insight, innovation and experience. Our ultimate goal is to serve our clients to their highest levels of satisfaction. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with the commitment to the service that they deserve. That's the Schneider Downs difference. Insight is information filtered through experience. Schneider Downs' interdisciplinary teams understand the complex issues businesses face. Using the latest technology and in-depth resources, we help you make the most of your opportunities. Innovation occurs when creative ideas are tempered by study and vision. Clients trust Schneider Downs to stay abreast of new business and accounting regulations. We work with our clients to manage the effects of changing economic conditions. We aggressively seek a range of integrated, innovative solutions to each business situation. Experience results from applying lessons learned to new solutions. Our senior executives have directed corporations, owned small businesses and managed nonprofits. They can understand your business and offer flexible paths to success. ### Resources Resource Center CDK Global Hack – What We Know So Far Our Thoughts On CDK Global Hack – What We Know So Far Automobile, Cybersecurity In what is becoming a concerning Federal holiday tradition, a large-scale cyberattack has halted an entire industry. Hackers took one of the largest nationwide automotive… Daniel Hooven 06.24.2024 Downstream Effects of the CHIPS Act on Local Manufacturing in New Albany, Ohio Our Thoughts On Downstream Effects of the CHIPS Act on Local Manufacturing in New Albany, Ohio Manufacturing The semiconductor industry is the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones to cars to advanced medical equipment. Recognizing its strategic importance, the U.S.… Christopher Catalano 06.20.2024 Moore vs. U.S. Update – Supreme Court Rules that Section 965 Mandatory Repatriation Tax is Constitutional Our Thoughts On Moore vs. U.S. Update – Supreme Court Rules that Section 965 Mandatory Repatriation Tax is Constitutional International Tax, Tax In a highly anticipated ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Moore v. United States that the Section 965 Mandatory Repatriation Tax (“MRT”) imposed… Matthew Legg 06.20.2024 Ozempic and Wegovy Phishing Scams Up Nearly 200% in 2024 Our Thoughts On Ozempic and Wegovy Phishing Scams Up Nearly 200% in 2024 Cybersecurity Learn about the sharp rise in Ozempic and Wegovy-themed phishing scams in 2024. Semaglutide-based weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have become increasingly… Daniel Hooven 06.18.2024 Are EVs Just A Fad? Our Thoughts On Are EVs Just A Fad? Automobile, Emerging Technology If you were alive in the late 1990s, you either wanted, or knew a kid who wanted, a Furby. For those unfamiliar, the Furby was… Brandon Embreus 06.18.2024 Resource Type All Resources TypesOur Thoughts OnEventsQuick ReferencesRemote LearningVideos Categories All Categories 11-K Extensions401(k) PlansAccounting AdvisoryAffordable Care Act (ACA)American Jobs PlanAmerican Rescue Plan ActAuditAudit GAAPAudit/TaxAutomobileBenefitsBusiness AdvisorsBusiness Process OptimizationBusiness RestructuringBusiness ValuationCARES ActCase StudiesCECLCompensation StudiesConstructionConsultingContinuityCoronavirusCorporate FinanceCPE Eligible WebinarsCyberCybersecurityData AnalyticsDigital & TechnologyDigital TransformationDue DiligenceEmerging TechnologyEnergy & ResourcesERISAESGEstate PlanningEstate TaxEventsExit and Succession PlanningFinancial ServicesFraudFraud/Investigative & Forensic AccountingGlobalGovernmentHealth CareHigher EducationHuman ResourcesIFRSImpairmentIndustry SpecificInternal Revenue ServiceInternationalInternational TaxInternshipIT Risk AdvisoryLarge CompaniesLease AccountingLeasesLitigation SupportLoansManufacturingMarketingMergers and AcquisitionsModern WorkplaceNFP Cash FlowNot-for-ProfitOMB ReleaseOur Thoughts OnPaycheck Protection Program (PPP)Personal FinancePresentations & WebinarsPrivate Client ServicesPrivate EquityProfessional ServicesPublic CompaniesPublicly Held CompanyQuick ReferencesR&D Tax CreditReal EstateRestaurantsRetailRetirement Plan Participant EducationRetirement SolutionsRisk Advisory/Internal AuditSarbanes-OxleySchneider Down Services and SolutionsSchneider DownsSchneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors VideosSD DigitalSD Medallion ServicesSECURE ActSECURE Act 2Service OverviewsServices for Private Equity FirmsSmall Business (SBA)SOCSOC 2State and Local TaxStimulus PackageTaxTax ImpactTax PolicyTax ReformTCJATechnology and Data SolutionsThird Party Risk ManagementTop Cybersecurity Questions of 2021Top Cybersecurity Questions of 2022Transaction Advisory ServicesTransportation & LogisticsVideosWealth ManagementWebinarsWhite PapersWomen in BusinessWorking at Schneider Downs Authors All authors Abigail SickafuseAbigail TurnbullAdam CostaAdam J. GoodeAlexa XenakisAlexander PapsonAlexandra Vander MolenAlicia FurlanAlissa M. GarciaAllen W WasselAllen WasselAllie ThompsonAlyssa BrunattiAlyssa FudalaAmy LehnerAndrea PfaadtAndrew JacksonAndrew TrettelAndrew WherleyAndrew WidmerAngela Danielle MorrisAnna YoungAnthony J. MargiottaAnthony MilanAsher PassalinquaAthena WaltonAudrey HendarsahAustin NaceBailey WilliamsBen StockBenjamin TjoelkerBernie RaffertyBill DellerBo WeaverBob WhalenBrandon DealBrandon EmbreusBrendan LeechBrett CubellisBrian W. MatthewsBrian WebsterBrianna LundyBridget PikeBrittany BeckerBrooke FlorianCameron LathamCarl D. ScharfCarl KriebelCarley TaslovCarol MurrayCarrie UreyCatherine MartzChad KortCharlotte GarrawayChelsea JacksonChelsea SarnowskiChloe VaughtChristian JohnsonChristian WheelerChristopher CatalanoChristopher CerdaChristopher KostyChristopher L WatsonChristopher VeitchClay A. PenroseColin SweeneyColten OakleyColton BoringConnor BigelowConor ManningCorynn MooreCourtney MoriartyDan R. NesbitDan RiskeDaniel HoovenDaniel NapierkowskiDaniel P. PhillipsDaniel StruthDanielle JacobsDanielle MiceliDanielle StrobelDanny WhiteDave SnyderDavid C. BrinkmanDavid JamesDavid MurphyDebra Ann RiesDebra StockdaleDel WilmotDennis R. MowreyDerek EichelbergerDerek J GodwinDerek PuglieseDomenic EannaceDonald B. ApplegarthDonald Eckrod IIIDonna WolfsonDoug J. MorallyEd KremmelEdward R. FrielElena FaurieElizabeth BeckElizabeth RhodesEmily MondaEmmalee NerantzisEric M. FairEric M. WrightErin HaaseErin M. Puko-WilkingErin WoodEugene M. DeFrankEvan C OgrodnikFrank A. WisehartFrank E DezortGabriel ZiskGarrett LaBrosseGary MuggliGennaro J. DiBelloGeorge E. AdamsGina TrulickGreg McGuireGregory L. AllisonGretchen MurphyHaddae AllenHan JumashovHannah WindhorstHarley StuebgenHayley PlanitzerHeather A. HaemerHenry J. SzymanskiHolly L RussoIsaac McKinleyIsabella MeeseJack SteveJack StewartJacob DixonJacob KatzJake BusshausJake GentileJames MoyerJames SayreJared KurzJared SofrankoJason CetraJason M LumpkinJason M ReljacJason StaleyJay R. MeglichJeanne M. BarrettJenna M ZelenskiJenna RisacherJennifer C DoeringJennifer ZatcheyJeremy MatelanJessica ChinJessica EllicottJessica L. MillerJessica MurthaJessica WengerJessica WingertsahnJim GilboyJoe BruceJoe TritschlerJoel M. RosenthalJohn SullivanJohn WaybrightJonathan GrimJonathan RiceJordan SchofieldJordan TooheyJoseph CarnaJoseph DeAugustinoJosh GaileyJoshua McFallJoshua ZimmerlyJosie MillsJustin MudrykJustin PremichJustin SteeleJustin WolfordKaitlin PackKari Tallarico OwensKarl BixlerKarlye N. RowlesKatherine KwanKayla HustonKelci WintersKelly MurphyKevin AtkinsKevin BegleyKevin M. DavisKiersten RoushKimberly GriffithKimberly L JamesKimberlyann DavisKira WaugamanKirk MitchellKristen SoriceKristyn StangKyle R ZellerLara E FullerLaria MooreLauren E. WeddellLindzee NicholsonLogan KowcheckM. Michele MilheimMackenzie J. PetermanMaggie HavelkaMaggie WelshMailiis SimovartMarc P. BrdarMarcy KingMaria D. StrompleMaria StuvekMark A. DiPietrantonioMark BalistrieriMark RileyMarko ZivanovMary D. RichterMatt BiggsMatt HartmanMatt McNealMatthew CavanaghMatthew LeggMatthew NaceMatthew R. KraemerMatthew RozanskiMegan KrullMegan MullerMelanie M. LaSotaMelissa GalloMichael DivensMichael HartMichael MaloneyMichael P. ScalamognaMichael RoccoMichael SinkevichMichael ValekMichael VizziniMichael W. DarpinoMichael WithrowMike BucciMike WinskoMiles GibsonMorgan CrawfordNancy L. SkeansNathan JohnstonbaughNathan SheplerNathaniel NovaccoNicholas DeLucaNick LagneseNick LombardoNick SeilerNickolas DeLisioNicolas LeoneNicole MillerNneoma NjubigboNoelle HarroldPatricia M. WarrickPatrick B. ArmknechtPatrick KellyPatrick KernsPatti GiudiciPeter FrauenPeter J. LiebermanPhyllis TedescoRachel TurnbullRaimee GordonRaymeir WilliamsRebecca HoffmanRebecca YanReilly OliverioRichard PirolloRobert L. MorganRobert MeleRobin S. MurphyRoger SpearsRon WollettRoss AlessandroRyan BiancoRyan DeDominicisRyan R. DeatrickRyan T. BrozeSamuel J. BechererSarah HoaglandSarah R PiotSarah SchaubleSarah WalkerSarah ZwienerSchneider Downs ProfessionalScott WaltonSean FogartySean GriffinSean McCannSean P. SmithSean ThomasSeth RobertsonShad FagerlandShan ZhouShane M. GasteckiStaci L. BroganStephanie HaughStephen BishStephen D. ThimonsStephen R. WorthSteven A. BarberSteven D. ThompsonStu P. LawsonSusan M. KirschSusan PaulauskasTarun D. ReddyTaylor AndersonTaylor MahanTheodore M. PettkoThomas YoderTim MartinTimothy M. WolfgangTom PrattTom SpringerTony IelaseTrevor P. WarrenTrudie E. KozarTyler BroseTyler CavenVarun DevulapalliWoodrow MorrisXiaoyan LiZach CicchiniZachary MotylZachary Zeigler Search Displaying 2,561 results CDK Global Hack – What We Know So Far Our Thoughts On CDK Global Hack – What We Know So Far Automobile, Cybersecurity Daniel Hooven 06.24.2024 Downstream Effects of the CHIPS Act on Local Manufacturing in New Albany, Ohio Our Thoughts On Downstream Effects of the CHIPS Act on Local Manufacturing in New Albany, Ohio Manufacturing Christopher Catalano 06.20.2024 Moore vs. U.S. Update – Supreme Court Rules that Section 965 Mandatory Repatriation Tax is Constitutional Our Thoughts On Moore vs. U.S. Update – Supreme Court Rules that Section 965 Mandatory Repatriation Tax is Constitutional International Tax, Tax Matthew Legg 06.20.2024 Ozempic and Wegovy Phishing Scams Up Nearly 200% in 2024 Our Thoughts On Ozempic and Wegovy Phishing Scams Up Nearly 200% in 2024 Cybersecurity Daniel Hooven 06.18.2024 Are EVs Just A Fad? Our Thoughts On Are EVs Just A Fad? Automobile, Emerging Technology Brandon Embreus 06.18.2024 Streamlining Audits Year-Round: Transitioning from Ad-Hoc to Proactive Processes Events July 16, 2024 2:00PM Streamlining Audits Year-Round: Transitioning from Ad-Hoc to Proactive Processes The FASB Proposes Rule on Accounting for Environmental Credits Our Thoughts On The FASB Proposes Rule on Accounting for Environmental Credits Energy & Resources Logan Kowcheck 06.13.2024 Disclosure Relief for Certain IFRS Subsidiaries Our Thoughts On Disclosure Relief for Certain IFRS Subsidiaries IFRS, International Michael Maloney 06.13.2024 Significant Reporting Changes for All IFRS Entities Our Thoughts On Significant Reporting Changes for All IFRS Entities IFRS, International Michael Maloney 06.13.2024 1 2 3 4 5 … 285 Stay In-The-Know Sign up for our email newsletter to receive all the latest news and views right in your inbox. E-mail NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Sign up Schneider Downs Events View our upcoming and past events! Upcoming Past Events Streamlining Audits Year-Round: Transitioning from Ad-Hoc to Proactive Processes Webinar July 16, 2024 12th Annual Fraud and Corruption Awareness Seminar Rivers Casino May 20, 2024 2024 Employee Benefits Forum Webinar May 2, 2024 SOC 2 Compliance: Key Steps to Success in 2024 Webinar January 25, 2024 2023 CPE Month Webinar Series December 5, 2023 Securing Success: Cybersecurity Strategies and IT Risk Compliance for Retailers Amidst Changing Rules November 15, 2023 Tee Off Against Cancer – 2023 Men Wear Pink Fundraiser October 18, 2023 View More Events Media Center Schneider Downs is pleased to accommodate media requests for interviews or background information. Media inquiries can be directed to Sean Smith.For inquiries regarding specific topics, the following professionals are available for interviews and speaking engagements: Schneider Downs & Co. Steven Thompson and Christopher McElroy Tax Advisory Services Justin Steele State and Local Tax (SALT) Stephen Worth Assurance Advisory Services Staci Brogan (Pittsburgh)Trevor Warren (Columbus) Risk Advisory/SOX James B. Yard Wealth Management Derek Eichelberger Retirement Planning/ Employee Benefit Services Jason M. Lumpkin Technology Advisory Services Eric Wright Investment Banking Peter J. Lieberman Business Advisory Services Adam GoodeFor more information on our industry group contacts, visit our Industries section. Audio Archive > ### Industries Our Industries Schneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. INDUSTRIES WE SERVE ### Services Our Services Schneider Downs provides more than 80 distinct services to clients of nearly any background: large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held companies, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities, service firms and professional associations. We help our clients reach their goals through insight, innovation and experience. Contact Us Today Audit and Assurance Services Specialized services to assist clients with all of their audit and assurance needs. Learn More Consulting Services Schneider Downs Consultants leverage experience with industry expertise to maximize your value and minimize risk. Learn More Private Client Services Legendary client service for high-net-worth individuals. Learn More Real Estate Capital Markets We arrange equity investments in commercial real estate, primarily multifamily housing and related sub-classes. Learn More Retirement Solutions Specialized services in retirement plan design, fiduciary guidance, investment advisory, employee education and administrative. Learn More Schneider Downs Capital SD Capital provides a unique perspective on value creation and company sales. Learn More SD Digital Helping businesses discover the power of digital through strategic, efficient and attainable solutions Learn More Tax Services Effective business and tax planning allows you to take advantage of significant economic opportunities. Learn More Wealth Management Together, we craft a personal plan that acts as your financial roadmap and are with you every step of the way. Learn More Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Big Thinking: Read Case Study Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Read Case Study ### Make A Payment Make a Payment   Electronic Funds Transfer Transfer funds directly from your bank with no additional fees. Learn More Credit Card A 3% convenience fee will be applied to all credit card transactions. Debit cards are not accepted. Learn More Payment Plan QuickFee offers an easy, no-hassle way for you to spread the cost of your invoice(s) over three to twelve monthly payments.* Learn More How Quickfee Payment Plans Help: Smooths your cash flow. Keeps working capital in your business for other purposes. Access an additional line of credit without a formal application process. No additional security is required. No early payout fees. If you would like to pay off your payment plan early, any remaining interest is rebated. Obtain the additional services you need to grow your business. * $2,000 minimum ** If you have received audit and attest services, you may not use the 12-month QuickFee Payment Plan option to pay existing invoices. Please contact our office for shorter terms or questions. Please contact SDCoAR@schneiderdowns.com with questions. ### CP Click here to go to Schneider Downs' Suralink If you are a client of Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors or Schneider Downs Retirement Solutions, please visit our login page. Go ### Home Big Thinking. Personal Focus. Since 1956, we’ve provided accounting, tax, consulting and business advisory services through innovative thought leaders who deliver their expertise to meet the individual needs of each client. About Us Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise We help our clients reach their goals through insight, innovation and experience. View all Services > Audit and Assurance Services Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services… Consulting Services Schneider Downs Consulting Services Carefully curated range of services and solutions for… Private Client Services Big Thinking. Personal Focus. Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Tax and… Retirement Solutions Retirement Solutions Schneider Downs Capital Value Advisors for the Middle Market A premier, full-service, value growth and… SD Digital SD Digital Meet Our Team Innovative Solutions. Bottom Line Results. SD Digital's… Tax Services Tax Services Schneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist… Wealth Management At Schneider Downs Wealth Management, we have options available to assist you… See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections How we deliver results View case studies Big Problem: Emerging Technology Client Unaware Of Sales Tax Requirements Upon Exit Big Thinking: Perform Multi-jurisdictional Tax Exposure Analysis To Ensure Compliance When one of the firm’s emerging technology clients was making plans to sell their business, Trevor and his team noticed that they were unaware of sales tax filing requirements. Knowing from experience how complex such requirements can be for emerging technology companies who sell products... Read Case Study Solved by Trevor Warren Schneider Downs shareholder View our insights and Resources View Resources The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Individual, Estate, and Gift Taxes Our Thoughts On The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Individual, Estate, and Gift Taxes One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Tax What changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) could impact individual taxpayers and estate and gift taxes? H.R. 1, formally titled “An Act to… Kirk Mitchell, Daniel P. Phillips 07.10.2025 Optimizing High Net Worth Tax Planning Events June 26, 2025 11:00AM Optimizing High Net Worth Tax Planning Wealth Management, Webinars HITRUST Isn't Just Another Compliance Checkbox. So What is It? Our Thoughts On HITRUST Isn't Just Another Compliance Checkbox. So What is It? Cybersecurity, Healthcare, HITRUST, IT Risk Advisory The CFO's Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: 5 Things CFOs Should Be Doing Now Our Thoughts On The CFO's Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: 5 Things CFOs Should Be Doing Now Consulting, Managed Accounting We Are hiring! Build an exceptional career with diverse, talented people who are among the most respected in their fields. View jobs Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ## Landing Pages ### Elementor Landing Page #60638 Cybersecurity Maturity ModelCertification (CMMC) Services Schneider Downs is a Candidate C3PAO and is qualified to assess and certify organizations that conduct business with the DoD. ## My Templates ### Data Analytics and Power BI Resources Grey Box Data Analytics and Power BI Resources SD Digital Solutions Overview Power BI Enterprise Solutions Overview Resource Center ### Power BI Enterprise Solutions Resources Grey Box Power BI Enterprise Solutions Resources SD Digital Solutions Overview Power BI Enterprise Solutions Overview Resource Center ### OB3 Resource Popup Modal Videos Events From Complexity to Clarity:Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Watch Webinar Download Slides ### OTO Newsletter Subscription Container #2 Our Thoughts OnWeekly NewsletterReceive weekly insights, expert analysis, and valuable industry tips to help you stay ahead in your field. ### OTO Newsletter Subscription Container ### Grey Box Template - STANDARD LINKS Accounting Advisory Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### OBBB Resource Center 2 OBBB Resource Center ### Fraud Resources Grey Box Fraud Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### Forensics and Litigation Resources Grey Box Forensics and Litigation Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### H5 Subheader - Services Page Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. ### Elementor Loop Item #64611 ### Elementor Loop Item #64606 Sort by Most Recent Most Viewed Categories Authors Advanced Search 401(k) Plans Accounting Advisory Affordable Care Act (ACA) American Jobs Plan Audit Audit Case Study Benefits Big Beautiful Bill Business Advisory Business Continuity Business Process Optimization Business Valuation CARES Act Case Studies Compensation Studies Construction Consulting CPE Eligible Webinars Cybersecurity Data Analytics Dealerships Due Diligence Emerging Technology Employee Retention Credit Energy & Resources ERISA ESG Estate Planning Events Exit and Succession Planning Financial Services Fraud Fraud/Investigative & Forensic Accounting Global Government Healthcare Higher Education Human Resources IFRS Industry Specific Internal Revenue Service International International Tax Internship IT Risk Advisory Lease Accounting Litigation Support Managed Accounting Manufacturing Marketing Mergers and Acquisitions Not-for-Profit Our Thoughts On Personal Finance Presentations & Webinars Private Client Services Private Equity Professional Services Public Companies Quick References R&D Tax Credit Real Estate Retail Retirement Plan Participant Education Retirement Solutions Risk Advisory/Internal Audit Sarbanes-Oxley SD Capital SD Digital SECURE Act SECURE Act 2 Service Overviews Small Business (SBA) SOC SOC 2 State and Local Tax Tax Tax Impact Tax Reform TCJA Third Party Risk Management Transaction Advisory Services Transportation & Logistics Videos Wealth Management Webinars White Papers Women in Business Working at Schneider Downs | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z Author Search ENTER Abigail Sickafuse Abigail Turnbull Adam Costa Adam J. Goode Alexa Xenakis Alexander Papson Alexandra Vander Molen Alicia Furlan Alissa M. Garcia Allen W Wassel Allen Wassel Allie Thompson Alyssa Brunatti Alyssa Fudala Amy Lehner Andrea Pfaadt Andrew Jackson Andrew Trettel Andrew Wherley Andrew Widmer Angela Danielle Morris Anthony J. Margiotta Anthony Milan Asher Passalinqua Athena Walton Audrey Hendarsah Austin Nace Bailey Williams Ben Stock Benjamin Tjoelker Bernie Rafferty Bill Deller Bob Whalen Brandon Deal Brandon Embreus Brendan Leech Brett Cubellis Brian W. Matthews Brian Webster Brianna Lundy Bridget Pike Brittany Becker Brooke Florian Cameron Latham Carl D. Scharf Carl Kriebel Carley Taslov Carol Murray Carrie Urey Catherine Martz Chad Kort Charlotte Garraway Chelsea Jackson Chelsea Sarnowski Chloe Vaught Christian Johnson Christian Wheeler Christopher Cerda Christopher Kosty Christopher L Watson Christopher Veitch Clay A. Penrose Colten Oakley Colton Boring Connor Bigelow Corynn Moore Courtney Moriarty Dan OToole Dan R. Nesbit Dan Riske Daniel Napierkowski Daniel P. Phillips Daniel Struth Danielle Jacobs Danielle Miceli Danielle Strobel Danny White Dave Snyder David C. Brinkman David James David Murphy Debra Ann Ries Debra Stockdale Del Wilmot Dennis R. Mowrey Derek Eichelberger Derek J Godwin Derek Pugliese Domenic Eannace Donald B. Applegarth Donald Eckrod III Donna Wolfson Doug J. Morally Ed Kremmel Edward R. Friel Elena Faurie Elizabeth Beck Elizabeth Rhodes Emily Monda Emmalee Nerantzis Eric M. Fair Eric M. Wright Erin Haase Erin M. Puko-Wilking Eugene M. DeFrank Evan C Ogrodnik Frank A. Wisehart Frank E Dezort Gabriel Zisk Garrett LaBrosse Gary Muggli Gennaro J. DiBello George E. Adams Gina Trulick Greg McGuire Gregory L. Allison Haddae Allen Han Jumashov Hannah Kubas Harley Stuebgen Hayley Planitzer Heather A. Haemer Henry J. Szymanski Holly L Russo Isaac McKinley Isabella Meese Jack Steve Jack Stewart Jacob Dixon Jacob Katz Jake Busshaus Jake Gentile James Moyer James Sayre Jared Kurz Jason Cetra Jason M Lumpkin Jason M Reljac Jason Staley Jay R. Meglich Jeanne M. Barrett Jenna M Zelenski Jenna Risacher Jennifer C Doering Jennifer Zatchey Jeremy Matelan Jessica Chin Jessica L. Miller Jessica Murtha Jessica Wenger Jessica Wingertsahn Jim Gilboy Joe Bruce Joe Tritschler Joel M. Rosenthal John Sullivan John Waybright Jonathan Grim Jonathan Rice Jordan Schofield Jordan Toohey Joseph Carna Joseph DeAugustino Josh Gailey Joshua McFall Joshua Zimmerly Josie Mills Justin Mudryk Justin Premich Justin Steele Justin Wolford Kaitlin Pack Kari Tallarico Owens Karl Bixler Karlye N. Rowles Katherine Kwan Kayla Huston Kelci Winters Kelly Murphy Kevin Atkins Kevin Begley Kevin M. 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Kozar Tyler Brose Varun Devulapalli Woodrow Morris Xiaoyan Li Zach Cicchini Zachary Zeigler Big Beautiful Bill, Tax James Moyer | 07.07.2025 Major Tax Code Changes Under the "Big Beautiful Bill" (BBB) A sweeping update to the U.S. tax code was signed into law late last week… Read More Big Beautiful Bill, Tax, Tax Impact Kirk Mitchell | 07.03.2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Status Update: Senate Passes Bill – It’s Now Back to House An amended version of the One Big Beautiful Bill passed the Senate on Tuesday by… Read More SD Digital Patrick B. Armknecht | 06.25.2025 Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting… Read More IT Risk Advisory Patrick Kelly | 06.24.2025 Teeing Up Success: Build a HITRUST-Ready Program Without the Burnout Learn why HITRUST readiness doesn’t have to cost you a full round of resources. Fresh… Read More Dealerships Colten Oakley | 06.23.2025 Auto Manufacturers Investing Heavily in American Production Facing high foreign production costs because of recent tariffs, many auto manufacturers have committed to… Read More Big Beautiful Bill, Tax, Tax Impact Kirk Mitchell | 06.20.2025 Senate Republicans Release Substitute Version of One Big Beautiful Bill Passed by the House On June 16, the Senate Finance Committee released its version of the One Big Beautiful… Read More Big Beautiful Bill, Tax, Tax Impact Elena Faurie | 06.18.2025 Senate Finance Draft: Key Changes to One Big Beautiful Bill Impacting Tax-Exempt Organizations On June 17, the Senate Finance Committee released its draft of the One Big Beautiful… Read More Construction Ed Kremmel | 06.17.2025 FASB Implements Improvement for Joint Venture Formations (ASU 2023-05) According to the Ankura Joint Venture Index, global joint ventures and partnerships in 2024 experienced… Read More Big Beautiful Bill, Construction Matthew Cavanagh | 06.16.2025 The One Big Beautiful Bill Impact on Construction Industry As of early June, Congress has worked through several iterations of The One Big Beautiful… Read More Cybersecurity, Healthcare, IT Risk Advisory Bill Deller | 06.16.2025 What HITRUST Isn't: 3 Common Myths Our previous article provided a comprehensive overview of HITRUST, including what it is, how the… Read More 1 2 3 4 5 … 239 ### Header 2 SC June " data-hide-for="large"> Loading... Services Audit and Assurance Services Overview Accounting Advisory Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Overview Services Employee Benefit Plan Resources ERISA Frequently Asked Questions International Assurance Services Public Companies Assurance Services SOC Services Overview SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Consulting Services Overview Business Advisory Overview Transaction Advisory Services Forensics and Litigation Overview Business Interruption Services Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Forensic & Investigative Accounting Fraud Risk Assessment Fraud Mitigation Services Fraud Diagnostics Litigation Support Services Valuation Services Managed Accounting Services Overview Controller Services CFO Services Full Accounting Services Business Restructuring Overview Turnaround/Restructuring Debt Placement Insolvency Services Performance Improvement Services for Private Equity Firms Meet Our Team Risk Advisory Services Overview Internal Audit Solutions Overview Data Analytics for Internal Audit Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Internal Audit Sourcing Risk Management and Compliance Services Overview Enterprise Risk Management Fraud Risk Assessment Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting Overview ESG FAQs SOX Readiness, Optimization and Program Sourcing Third-Party Risk Management Overview Ad-Hoc Review Capabilities and Maturity Assessment External Assessor Program Implementation and Development Program Support Services TPRM Officer-as-a-Service Training, Education, and Awareness Information Technology Advisory Overview Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Data Privacy and Security IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Advisory Process Improvement Consulting Overview Accounting Optimization Assessments Business Process Optimization Data Analytics (ADAPT) Cybersecurity IT Risk Advisory All Services Private Client Services Overview Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? 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Services Audit and Assurance Services Overview Accounting Advisory Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Overview Services Employee Benefit Plan Resources ERISA Frequently Asked Questions International Assurance Services Public Companies Assurance Services SOC Services Overview SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Consulting Services Overview Business Advisory Overview Transaction Advisory Services Forensics and Litigation Overview Business Interruption Services Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Forensic & Investigative Accounting Fraud Risk Assessment Fraud Mitigation Services Fraud Diagnostics Litigation Support Services Valuation Services Managed Accounting Services Overview Controller Services CFO Services Full Accounting Services Business Restructuring Overview Turnaround/Restructuring Debt Placement Insolvency Services Performance Improvement Services for Private Equity Firms Meet Our Team Risk Advisory Services Overview Internal Audit Solutions Overview Data Analytics for Internal Audit Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Internal Audit Sourcing Risk Management and Compliance Services Overview Enterprise Risk Management Fraud Risk Assessment Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting Overview ESG FAQs SOX Readiness, Optimization and Program Sourcing Third-Party Risk Management Overview Ad-Hoc Review Capabilities and Maturity Assessment External Assessor Program Implementation and Development Program Support Services TPRM Officer-as-a-Service Training, Education, and Awareness Information Technology Advisory Overview Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Data Privacy and Security IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Advisory Process Improvement Consulting Overview Accounting Optimization Assessments Business Process Optimization Data Analytics (ADAPT) Cybersecurity IT Risk Advisory All Services Private Client Services Overview Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Service Offerings Overview Tax and Personal Financial Services Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Private Family Office Philanthropy Wealth Management Meet Our Private Client Services Team Insights Contact Us Retirement Solutions Overview Advisory Services Consulting ESOP Services Recordkeeping Third-Party Administration Services Executive Compensation Retirement Plan Fiduciary Risk Assessment Schneider Downs Capital SD Digital Solutions SD Digital Solutions Home Intelligent Automation Data Analytics and Power BI Digital Modernization Software Solutions Software Solutions Home Microsoft Dynamics ERP Microsoft Dynamics Legacy Users simpLEASE Accounting SD inSITE Solver Extended Financial Planning & Analysis Custom Development Meet The Team Tax Services Overview Tax About Us Tax Compliance and Consulting Business Tax Individual Tax Not-for-profit Tax Gift, Trust and Estate Services Managed Tax Services Overview Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Income Tax Provisions – ASC 740 and IFRS Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Overview Abandoned/Unclaimed Property Excise & Motor Fuels Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax Property Tax Sales/Use Tax Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services State Credits and Incentives Tax Advisory Services – International Overview Expatriate Tax Export Incentives FATCA and Nonresident Withholding Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring International Tax Reporting and Planning International Withholding Tax Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions Tax Credits and Incentives Overview Research & Development Cost Segregation PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives Tax Transaction Advisory Overview Due Diligence Transaction Cost Analysis Tax All Services Wealth Management Overview Ultra High Net Worth Investors High Net Worth Investors Voyage Program Financial Planning Institutions and Non-Profits View all services Industries Overview Automotive Construction Emerging Technology Energy & Resources Financial Government Healthcare Higher Education International Manufacturing Not-for-Profit Private Equity Firm Services Professional Services Real Estate Retail & Business-to-Consumer Transportation & Logistics Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog Events Subscribe About Us Overview Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World Case Studies Diversity History Management Mission and Corporate Values News Peer Review PrimeGlobal SD Standard Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) Locations Pittsburgh, PA Columbus, OH Metropolitan Washington Careers Client Portal Make a Payment Close Open Search Submit Contact us ### Landing Page Service Blocks Broad capabilities, unmatched expertise Schneider Downs’ IT Risk Advisory professionals help organizations gain valuable insights into their processes and technologies. A well-planned, properly structured information technology (IT) audit program is essential to evaluate risk management practices, internal control systems, and compliance with regulations and corporate policies. Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning and Table Top Exercises Deliver sound risk management… Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Services (CMMC) Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Schneider… Data Privacy Services Data Privacy Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… FFIEC IT Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… GDPR Compliance Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… HIPAA Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… HITRUST HITRUST Information Technology Audit Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. With… InfoSec Policy Templates Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. The… IRS Publication 1075 Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. To… ISO 27001 Compliance Assessment Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. ISO… IT General Controls Audit Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. IT… IT Risk Assessment Services Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. Prior… Network Device Security Configuration Assessment Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. It… NIST The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The National Institute of… Payment Card Industry Security Standard Compliance PCI DSS Compliance Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Deliver sound risk… SAP Audits and Controls SAP Audits and Controls PRIMARY CONTACT: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITP Schneider… Sarbanes-Oxley Solutions Sarbanes-Oxley Solutions Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance… SOC Practice Overview SOC Practice Overview Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… Third-Party Risk Management Third-Party Risk Management Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and… See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our focus is on making personal connections ### SOCDifferencesChart Key Differences between SOC 2 and SOC for Cybersecurity SOC 2Audience - Typically requested by customers and stakeholders concerned with data security and privacy in outsourced services.Scope - Primarily for service organizations that need to report to users on security, availability, confidentiality, privacy or processing integrity commitments.Description Criteria - Includes information on an in-scope Service Commitments, Infrastructure, Software, Data, People, Processes and Procedures, and relevant aspects of the Control EnvironmentControls - Uses the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria (TSC) for assessments. The TSC includes security, availability, confidentiality, privacy and/or processing integrity.SOC for CybersecurityAudience - Intended for a broader range of stakeholders, including boards of directors, investors and business partners, seeking assurance on an organization's cybersecurity posture.Scope - Can be applied to any organization even those that do not need to perform SOC 2.Description Criteria - Includes information on an entity’s cybersecurity risk management program. Elements that could be included are cybersecurity risk management objectives, critical assets and data, cybersecurity risk management governance, assessments and internal controls.Controls - Organization can choose the framework they wish to measure against.  This could be the SOC 2 TSC or another framework such as NIST Cyber Security Framework or ISO 27001 Information Security Management System. ### SDinSite Resources SD inSite Resources View a Demo SD inSite Overview ### SimpLEASE Resources simpLEASE Resources simpLEASE Homepage simpLEASE FAQ simpLEASE Software Overview simpLEASE Security Overview Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### SD Digital Resources Grey Box 2 SD Digital Resources SD Digital Solutions Overview Digital Modernization Overview Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### Data Analytics Resources Grey Box Data Analytics Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### SD Digital Resources Template Box SD Digital Resources SD Digital Solutions Overview Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### CMMC Landing Page Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Services Schneider Downs is an Authorized C3PAO qualified to assess and certify organizations conducting business with the DoD.The CMMC was ruled final on December 16, 2024, for organizations within the defense industrial base (DIB) sector.Per DFARS 7021/CMMC, all organizations must start the new certification process to maintain and win contracts. Act now to ensure certification is complete before the 2026 deadline! A CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) Schneider Downs is one of 54 nationwide CMMC C3PAOs authorized to conduct CMMC certification assessments for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) program. Gain Competitive Advantage Our deep understanding of the CMMC assessment details, backed by our authorization as a CMMC certification provider, offers a unique position to guide your organization effectively through the readiness assessment. Get Specialized Industry Expertise Leveraging our expertise across 16+ industries, we deliver customized solutions to conquer your CMMC challenges, ensuring your industry-specific needs are met and driving your success. CMMC CertificationStarting in 2025, all companies that conduct business with the DoD and suppliers across the DIB will need to acquire some level of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). This means that every prime contractor and subcontractor of the DoD will have to be audited and certified under the CMMC framework. This will affect more than 450,000 organizations, including entities in the U.S and their international partners. For contracts that require CMMC, you may be disqualified from participating if your organization is not certified. The government plans to work closely with companies and incorporate feedback as it starts the certification process and awards contracts with the new requirements.CMMC Readiness Assessment ConsultingNot ready for the CMMC Certification yet? Identify and address critical gaps in your CMMC compliance with our comprehensive assessment. Partner with us for CMMC readiness and gain significant advantages. Our deep understanding of CMMC assessments, combined with our authorization as a CMMC certification provider and audit authority, uniquely positions us to guide your organization effectively through the readiness assessment.CMMC Assessment PhasesOur comprehensive CMMC assessment encompasses four distinct phases. Phase 1 focuses on meticulous planning and preparation, including establishing roles, gathering necessary documentation, and verifying readiness. Phase 2 involves the core assessment activities, where Schneider Downs evaluates the client’s CMMC practice implementation through evidence review, interviews, and observations. Phase 3 delivers the recommended assessment results in a formal report, outlining areas of conformance and non-conformance with specific remediation recommendations. Finally, Phase 4 centers on the closure of the identified Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms) and a final validation to ensure all necessary actions have been taken.About Schneider DownsAs a certified C3PAO, Schneider Downs provides comprehensive CMMC readiness consulting to guide organizations seeking CMMC certification, helping them prepare for their official C3PAO assessment process.Our team includes several CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) and CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs). CCPs and CCAs have undergone extensive training on the CMMC model and CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) and can simulate a real assessment to effectively identify gaps that can be remediated prior to the official C3PAO assessment. CMMC: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification GuideDownload our comprehensive CMMC Guide for a detailed overview of CMMC, including a deep dive into the certificate framework, certification process, potential costs and best practices for preparing your organization. View our comprehensive CMMC Guide here CMMC FAQS What are the latest updates on CMMC 2.0? As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC. What is Considered “In Scope” for CMMC? Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP). What if I do not want to comply or am unable to comply with CMMC, what are the consequences? For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause. How will I know what CMMC level is required for each DoD contract? Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required. What is the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172. Who can help me become CMMC compliant? Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. As of January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) has finalized the implementation framework for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program. The final rule was published on October 15, 2024, and took effect on December 16, 2024. Contracts will start to include the DFARS clause requirement, meaning all DoD contractors will be required to comply with CMMC.Any system, network, or infrastructure that stores, processes, or transmits FCI or CUI is considered in scope for CMMC 2.0. This includes:Internal IT networks that handle CUI.Cloud environments where CUI is stored or processed (e.g., Microsoft GCC High, AWS GovCloud).End-user devices (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) that access CUI.Email and collaboration tools (if used for CUI communication).Subcontractors handling CUI must also meet the appropriate CMMC level.Organizations need to define and document the boundary of their CMMC in-scope environment to ensure compliance within their System Security Plan (SSP).For defense contractors, the consequences could be severe. If you decide to not comply or are unable to comply with the CMMC requirements, you will no longer be able to bid on any DoD contracts that include the DFARS clause.Each DoD Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Information (RFI) will specify the required CMMC level for that contract. Contracts that require CMMC compliance will reference specific Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses, such as:DFARS 252.204-7012 (Cybersecurity Requirements)DFARS 252.204-7019 (SPR System Submission)DFARS 252.204-7020 (DIBCAC Assessment for Medium & High Risk)DFARS 252.204-7021 (CMMC Certification Requirements)If DFARS 252.204-7021 is included, the contract will specify the required CMMC level.There is also the way to determine by the type of information that you will be handling with this contract:If your company only handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) → CMMC Level 1 is required.If your company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) → CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 may be required.If your company works with high-value CUI for critical national security → CMMC Level 3 is required.The CMMC framework is closely aligned with NIST standards, as compliance with CMMC requirements necessitates adherence to NIST guidelines. DoD contractors must either perform a self-assessment or undergo a third-party evaluation to verify compliance with the relevant NIST standards outlined in DFARS clause 252.204-7012. Under CMMC 2.0, Level 2 assessments are based on the security controls in NIST SP 800-171, while Level 3 assessments incorporate both NIST SP 800-171 and a subset of advanced protections from NIST SP 800-172.Schneider Downs is currently one of 54 Authorized C3PAOs in the nation. Schneider Downs can help with readiness and consulting services to help you prepare for your CMMC assessment. Once you are ready for your assessment, Schneider Downs can provide partner C3PAOs to conduct the assessment. Cybersecurity Maturity ModelCertification (CMMC) Only 54 firms are authorized to provide CMMC Certification. Schneider Downs is an Authorized C3PAO and can handle your CMMC Certificaton. Demand is expected to significantly increase. Contact Us Today to ensure compliance is met. ### CMMC Banner Form 1 Cybersecurity Maturity ModelCertification (CMMC) Services Schneider Downs is a Candidate C3PAO and is qualified to assess and certify organizations that conduct business with the DoD. ### CMMC Top Banner with Form Cybersecurity Maturity ModelCertification (CMMC) Services Schneider Downs is a Candidate C3PAO and is qualified to assess and certify organizations that conduct business with the DoD. ### Ad Landing Page Template 1 Outsourced Accounting Services Empowering our clients with financial knowledge is the cornerstone of their success. We hear from many clients who’ve been running their business while struggling with financial overwhelm. Many small business owners come to us after realizing that hiring a full-time, in-house accountant isn’t the most cost-effective or strategic solution. After months of drowning in spreadsheets and tax deadlines, our clients finally seek the support they need to regain control of their finances.Uncover the true value of your investments and financial decisions by seeing beyond the numbers. Confidential and Professional Trustworthy and secure handling of your financial data. Expertise at a cost that meets your budget. A Unique Relationship We value family and teamwork and treat your business as our own. Built on trust for over 30 years. Goal-Oriented Discussions Focus on your business goals with timely reporting and analysis to make better business decisions. Outsourced Accounting Solutions Outsourced Accounting Outsourced/Fractional CFO Outsourced/Fractional Controller Our scalable and customizable outsourced accounting services allow you to focus on growing your business. Add a strategic financial partner to help grow and scale your business. Our CFOs will help you build and execute a strategic plan and vision, maximizing profitability. Add a seasoned controller to deliver you the timely, accurate financial information you need to run your business. Our controllers will manage your process, existing accounting staff, and internal control environment and deliver a best-in-class month-end financial package. Our scalable and customizable outsourced accounting services allow you to focus on growing your business.Add a strategic financial partner to help grow and scale your business. Our CFOs will help you build and execute a strategic plan and vision, maximizing profitability.Add a seasoned controller to deliver you the timely, accurate financial information you need to run your business. Our controllers will manage your process, existing accounting staff, and internal control environment and deliver a best-in-class month-end financial package. Experience your finances in action. Contact us today to receive your complimentary Financial Report. The Visual Financial Report uses your data to customize forecasts, modify projections, and see the impact on cash flow and results. Make informed business decisions with ease with data at your fingertips.  Contact our Managed Accounting TeamWe offer a free consultation to review your financial report and to discuss our Outsourced Accounting Services.We look forward to hearing from you! Common Accounting Problems We Solve Our business struggles to improve cash flow management while maintaining a healthy financial position. Our experienced professionals provide strategic financial leadership and customized solutions to help you optimize cash flow. By immersing ourselves in your operations, we gain a deep understanding of your business and identify opportunities to improve financial performance. We have difficulty keeping up with changing tax laws and regulations. Leveraging our extensive expertise and deep understanding of current tax regulations, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors helps clients navigate the complex tax landscape. Our personalized approach ensures that clients meet their tax obligations while maximizing tax advantages. Our team spends a significant amount of time on manual accounting tasks, creating a diversion of resources from core business activities. Whether you are looking to support existing staff or a fully outsourced management solution, our team tailors services to your current needs and structure to provide the best strategy and resources for your situation allowing you to focus on what matters the most. Our team has an inability to handle complex accounting tasks (e.g., international taxation, mergers & acquisitions). Benefit from our network of 500+ Tax, Audit and Consulting professionals. We can handle your most intricate accounting challenges, enabling your team to concentrate on strategic initiatives.  We have limited in-house accounting knowledge or expertise. All projects are managed by a team of senior consultants with broad experience in accounting, finance and administration—across a multitude of industries and corporate structures. Leverage Schneider Downs’ breadth and depth of expertise across countless industries and disciplines. We can’t seem to quickly scale services to meet increasing demands without the need for immediate hiring. Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services brings the right talent and expertise to you. Our proven processes with sound fundamentals and leading technology allows us to quickly scale with our partners demand. Our experienced professionals provide strategic financial leadership and customized solutions to help you optimize cash flow. By immersing ourselves in your operations, we gain a deep understanding of your business and identify opportunities to improve financial performance.Leveraging our extensive expertise and deep understanding of current tax regulations, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors helps clients navigate the complex tax landscape. Our personalized approach ensures that clients meet their tax obligations while maximizing tax advantages.Whether you are looking to support existing staff or a fully outsourced management solution, our team tailors services to your current needs and structure to provide the best strategy and resources for your situation allowing you to focus on what matters the most.Benefit from our network of 500+ Tax, Audit and Consulting professionals. We can handle your most intricate accounting challenges, enabling your team to concentrate on strategic initiatives. All projects are managed by a team of senior consultants with broad experience in accounting, finance and administration—across a multitude of industries and corporate structures. Leverage Schneider Downs’ breadth and depth of expertise across countless industries and disciplines.Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services brings the right talent and expertise to you. Our proven processes with sound fundamentals and leading technology allows us to quickly scale with our partners demand. FAQ Why should I outsource my accounting? Outsourcing accounting offers numerous advantages, including reduced overhead costs, access to specialized expertise, streamlined processes, improved accuracy, and the ability to focus on core business competencies. What kind of accounting tasks can be outsourced? Outsourcing can streamline various accounting functions, such as recording financial transactions, processing payroll, preparing tax returns, generating financial statements, and managing accounts receivable and payable. How do I choose an outsourced accounting provider? When selecting an outsourced accounting provider, prioritize experience in your industry, a comprehensive service offering, advanced technology utilization, strong communication, and robust security measures to safeguard your financial data. How do I ensure a smooth transition to outsourced accounting? To ensure a seamless transition to outsourced accounting, clearly communicate your expectations to the provider, transfer all necessary financial data, train your staff on the new workflow, maintain regular communication, and monitor the provider’s performance to guarantee they meet your standards. Outsourcing accounting offers numerous advantages, including reduced overhead costs, access to specialized expertise, streamlined processes, improved accuracy, and the ability to focus on core business competencies.Outsourcing can streamline various accounting functions, such as recording financial transactions, processing payroll, preparing tax returns, generating financial statements, and managing accounts receivable and payable.When selecting an outsourced accounting provider, prioritize experience in your industry, a comprehensive service offering, advanced technology utilization, strong communication, and robust security measures to safeguard your financial data.To ensure a seamless transition to outsourced accounting, clearly communicate your expectations to the provider, transfer all necessary financial data, train your staff on the new workflow, maintain regular communication, and monitor the provider's performance to guarantee they meet your standards. An Industry Leader See Schneider Downs ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated. Our Certifications About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting ServicesSchneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals.  ### Breached Global Widget ### Breached Widget Breached? Get Help Now ### Audit Case Studies Landing Page Block Explore our Audit Services Case Studies Learn how our clients founded their visions, increased efficiency, reduced costs and more in our case studies library. 30 Years and Counting: Transitioning Leadership, Evolving Business Structure, Stewarding ExpansionClient: American International Forwarding Starting Early: Delivering a Timely Audit with a Proactive ApproachClient: American Commerical Barge Line Powering Progress: Energy Expertise Fuels Seamless Partnership and Long-Term GrowthClient: Rosebud Mining Company Big Thinking and Personal Focus: A Decade of Excellence with a Complex, Multi-Faceted EntityClient: Family-owned, nationally recognized Real Estate company From Providers to Partners: Continuously Tailored Solutions for Record-Breaking Closing TimelinesClient: Multi-Location, Global, Long-term client From Acquisition to Audit: Guiding a SaaS Company Through a Seamless StartClient: SaaS Start Up in Emerging Technologies Compliance Crisis to Clean Slate: Preparing a 401K Plan for Clean AuditClient: Technology company focused on residential and commercial parking domestically and internationally Ready for Anything: Long-standing Bonds Enable Swift Responses in Dynamic ClimateClient: Nationally-renowned geotechnical engineering and construction firm Raising the Bar: Value-Added Services Supercharge SuccessClient: Multi-location, Multi-generational, recently transitioned construction client ### Audit Case Study Header 9 CASE STUDY - Audit Services Raising the Bar: Value-Added Services Supercharge Success Client: Multi-location, Multi-generational, Recently Transitioned Construction Client Services: Audit, Tax, Lease, Valuation, 401k Audit, Individual Tax Work, and Succession Planning ### Elementor Loop Item #57625 ### Audit Case Study Header 8 CASE STUDY - Audit Services Ready for Anything: Long-standing Bonds Enable Swift Responses in Dynamic Climate Client: Nationally-Renowned Geotechnical Engineering and Construction Firm ### Audit Case Study Header 7 CASE STUDY - Audit Services Compliance Crisis to Clean Slate: Preparing a 401K Plan for Clean Audit Client: Technology company with Domestic and International OperationsService: 401K Consulting ### Audit Case Studies Header 6 CASE STUDY - Audit Services From Acquisition to Audit: Guiding a SaaS Company Through a Seamless Start Client: SaaS Start Up in Emerging Technologies ### IT Ras Resources Grey Box IT Risk Advisory Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### Audit Case Studies Header 5 CASE STUDY - Audit Services From Providers to Partners: Continuously Tailored Solutions for Record-Breaking Closing Timelines Client: Multi-Location, Global, Long-term Client ### Audit Case Study Header 2 Landing Page 30 Years and Counting: Transitioning Leadership, Evolving Business Structure, Stewarding Expansion Client: American International Forwarding Services: Business Consulting, SOC 2 Report, Forensic Accounting Read more ### Audit Case Studies 1 Landing Page Block Starting Early: Delivering a Timely Audit with a Proactive Approach Client: American Commercial Barge LineServices: ERISA Audit Read more ### Audit Case Study Header 4 CASE STUDY - Audit Services Big Thinking and Personal Focus: A Decade of Excellence with a Complex, Multi-Faceted Entity Client: Family-owned, Nationally Recognized Professional Services Company ### Single Case Studies Learn More ### SOC Resources Grey Box 2 SOC Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### New Goals CTA Box Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ### New Goals CTA Box Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ### TPRM Resources Grey Box 1 TPRM Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog ### Cyber IT Risk Learn More CTA View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Grey Box Subheader Template - IT Ras Deliver sound risk management practices, internal control systems and compliance frameworks. ### Grey Box Subhead Cybersecurity Identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and be better prepared against cyber threats. ### Manufacturing FAQ with Sidebar Tax Credits and IncentivesR&D Tax Credit Eligibility and MaximizationHow can I determine if my manufacturing company is eligible for the R&D Tax Credit based on IRS guidelines?If your manufacturing company is developing new or improved products and/or production processes, then it is likely eligible for the R&D Tax Credit. Even companies that are not developing their products, such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but are developing or improving manufacturing processes for their customers may qualify for the R&D credit. An experienced Schneider Downs R&D tax credit professional can help you identify eligible activities and expenses.What strategies can manufacturing companies employ to maximize their R&D Tax Credit benefits?Although there is no specific documentation requirement to claim the R&D credit, companies that are knowledgeable about what types of activities qualify are better positioned to maximize their credit. Some companies utilize time-tracking or job-costing systems, or they track R&D-eligible expenses in dedicated general ledger accounts. When Schneider Downs works with a taxpayer, the first step is understanding their business and identifying qualified activities and expenses. With this knowledge, we can also offer recommendations and suggestions on how to track eligible costs moving forward to improve efficiency, ensure that all activities and expenses are captured, and maximize your R&D Tax Credit.Can R&D Tax Credit consulting firms provide customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of manufacturing companies?Yes, but not all firms do! At Schneider Downs, we tailor our approach to each client and industry. With an extensive knowledge of your industry, we develop a customized strategy to calculate and maximize the R&D credit with an eye towards efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, we prepare documentation to substantiate the claim that is tailored to the client and outlines the specific methodology used for their credit calculation. Be careful–many firms out there prepare R&D Tax Credit claims, but are not public accounting firms, and that comes with risk. With Schneider Downs, your company will receive the “Big Thinking. Personal Focus.” that will enable it to maximize its R&D Tax Credit!State Tax Credits and Incentives for Manufacturing CompaniesHow do I determine if my manufacturing business qualifies for state tax credits, and what are the application procedures?There are specific tax credit programs offered by various states, depending on which state your business operates. Each state has its criteria, which can include factors such as the type of manufacturing activities, job creation or retention, investment in equipment or property and other economic impacts. A consultation with one of our tax professionals can help you review your eligibility criteria and understand the specific application procedures, including the relevant agency forms and instructions, pre-application stages and due diligence during the application review process.What state tax incentives are available specifically for manufacturers and how can my company benefit?States offer a variety of tax incentives for manufacturers. Some of these incentives include: withholding tax rebates to new labor-intensive manufacturers, investment tax credits that can offset corporate tax liabilities and encourage investment in equipment, facilities, and technology, property tax abatements, and sales and use tax exemptions for manufacturing equipment, raw materials and other eligible items.Are there any state tax breaks or incentives for manufacturers who implement environmentally friendly practices or energy-efficient technologies?Several states encourage manufacturers to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Some states offer tax incentives specifically targeting energy efficiency, while others offer renewable energy tax credits. Our tax professionals can help you to determine which incentives may be available in your state.Accounting and Auditing ServicesTailored Services for International Manufacturing CompaniesWhat steps does your firm take to tailor accounting and auditing services to meet international manufacturing companies' specific needs and challenges?Your services will be tailored to your entity's unique needs and situation. While we have substantial experience with international manufacturers, we understand that every business is unique and will take the time to truly understand the needs of your organization and the ultimate users of your financial statements.Specialized Expertise in International Accounting ChallengesWhat specialized expertise does your team possess in navigating the accounting challenges associated with international manufacturing, including cross-border transactions?Schneider Downs maintains a deep understanding of international organizations' challenges and has experience providing assurance, tax, and advisory services to these organizations. We work with numerous international clients throughout the world. We have experience as the service provider at both the group level and as the service provider for U.S. component entities of foreign companies. We perform assurance services under U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Schneider Downs also has experience providing tax services, including transfer pricing, for international entities and understands the complexities of filing in multiple jurisdictions. We also have experience providing advisory services to entities including accounting method conversions and valuations under both U.S. GAAP and IFRS. International Tax ConsiderationsKey Tax Issues for International Manufacturing CompaniesAs a company manufacturing and distributing products internationally, what are some of the key tax issues to consider to ensure compliance and optimize tax strategy?Key areas to consider include Transfer Pricing, Permanent Establishment (PE), Value Added Tax (VAT) and Goods and Services Tax (GST), customs duties and tariffs, tax treaties, withholding taxes, Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) Rules, foreign tax credits, tax compliance and local tax incentives and subsidies. Navigating these complex tax issues requires a coordinated approach involving tax planning, compliance and risk management to optimize your tax position and ensure compliance.Inventory Reporting and ValuationCompliance Standards and GAAP RulesWhat are the compliance standards and GAAP rules that manufacturing organizations should follow for accurate inventory reporting and valuation?Cost of inventory can be determined using several methods such as first-in, first-out (FIFO), average cost, or last-in, first-out (LIFO). Regardless of the cost method selected, the cost captured and applied to inventory should include both direct expenditures as well as indirect charges that are incurred to bring an item to its current condition. This should include acquisition, labor, production and other overhead charges. These overhead charges should be allocated to individual items based on the normal capacity of the production facility. Normal capacity is an assumption that requires estimation by management based on a review of facts and circumstances. Costs outside that normal capacity range should be recognized as a current period charge rather than capitalized into inventory. Total inventory cost should also be reviewed to ensure that it is not higher than the net realizable value upon the ultimate sale of the inventory.Technology SolutionsTechnology Implementation for ManufacturersWhat technology solutions are right for my company?Each company is unique, and the solutions available would depend on the people, processes and technology that are already in place. Implementing technology is a valuable tool that can transform your business but ensuring that the right-fit technology is implemented with the right processes in place is essential to successful transformation. SD Digital helps organizations evaluate the purpose, efficiency and effectiveness of existing processes and technology to develop strategic, transformative solutions. Please reach out to a member of the SD Digital Team and let them help you transform your business. Explore the Digital Transformation FAQ.What are common Intelligent Automation (IA) solutions implemented for manufacturers?IA involves the integration of robotic process automation, artificial intelligence and business process management to automate tasks and streamline processes using human-centric interfaces. While an IA solution will be unique to your company, here are some common areas where automation has been implemented within the manufacturing industry: supply chain management, order fulfillment, inventory management, and back-office processes. Automation can significantly contribute to the operational excellence of a company by providing cost savings, employee engagement, reduced risk, scalability and speed. Learn more about Intelligent Automation.How can Schneider Downs assist with technology implementation?SD Digital helps organizations translate technology to transformative change and realize the best version of themselves. We work with you to understand your business and identify roadblocks to efficiency and scalability. Our team is made up of the following core solutions:Data AnalyticsDigital ModernizationIntelligent AutomationMicrosoft Dynamic ERP SolutionsCustom DevelopmentBy identifying the right-fit technology for your company, you can expect benefits such as:Streamlined and automated processes that reduce costs and mitigate risks.Improved reporting and analytics to help make better-informed business decisions.Enhanced data accessibility, reliability, and governance.Enabled future digital growthImpactful user experience drives buy-in and efficiency. 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Submit ### Audit Case Study Header 3 CASE STUDY - Audit Services Powering Progress: Energy Expertise Fuels Seamless Partnership and Long-Term Growth Client: USA Mining, Processing and Transportation OrganizationSchneider Downs Service: Audit/Tax ### Audit Case Study Header 2 CASE STUDY - Audit Services 30 Years and Counting: Transitioning Leadership, Evolving Business Structure, Stewarding Expansion Client: Supplier of Freight Forwarding ### Audit Case Study Header 1 CASE STUDY - Audit Services Starting Early: Delivering a Timely Audit with a Proactive Approach Client: Global Marine Shipping & TransportationSchneider Downs Service: ERISA Audit ### Audit Case Study Page Template " data-hide-for="large"> Loading... Services Audit and Assurance Services Overview Accounting Advisory Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Overview Services Employee Benefit Plan Resources ERISA Frequently Asked Questions International Assurance Services Public Companies Assurance Services SOC Practice Overview Overview SOC Reports SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Consulting Services Overview Business Advisory Overview Meet Our Team Business Interruption Services Business Restructuring Overview Performance Improvement Turnaround/Restructuring Insolvency Services Debt Placement Compensation Studies Data Analytics for Business Advisory Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Financial and Cash Flow Modeling Forensic & Investigative Accounting Fraud Mitigation Services Litigation Support Services Management Advisory Services Profitability and Operations Management Services Services for Private Equity Firms SD Digital Solutions SD Digital Solutions Home Intelligent Automation Data Analytics Digital Modernization Software Solutions Software Solutions Home Microsoft Dynamics ERP Microsoft Dynamics Legacy Users simpLEASE Accounting SD inSITE Solver Corporate Performance Software Custom Development Our Story Meet The Team Transaction Advisory Services Overview Due Diligence & Quality of Earnings Business Restructuring and Turnaround Services Business Valuation Services Data Analytics for Financial Transaction Advisory Management Advisory Services Risk Advisory Services Overview Internal Audit Solutions Overview Data Analytics for Internal Audit Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Internal Audit Sourcing Risk Management and Compliance Services Overview Enterprise Risk Management Fraud Risk Assessment SOC Compliance, Assessments and Readiness Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting Overview ESG FAQs SOX Readiness, Optimization and Program Sourcing Third-Party Risk Management Overview Ad-Hoc Review Capabilities and Maturity Assessment External Assessor Program Implementation and Development Program Support Services TPRM Officer-as-a-Service Training, Education, and Awareness Information Technology Advisory Overview Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Data Privacy and Security IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Advisory Process Improvement Consulting Overview Business Process Optimization Data Analytics (ADAPT) Cybersecurity IT Risk Advisory Private Client Services Overview Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Service Offerings Overview Tax and Personal Financial Services Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Private Family Office Philanthropy Wealth Management Meet Our Private Client Services Team Insights Contact Us Retirement Solutions Overview Advisory Services Consulting ESOP Services Recordkeeping Third-Party Administration Services Executive Compensation Retirement Plan Fiduciary Risk Assessment Schneider Downs Capital Tax Services Overview Tax About Us Tax Compliance and Consulting Business Tax Individual Tax Not-for-profit Tax Gift, Trust and Estate Services Managed Tax Services Overview Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Income Tax Provisions – ASC 740 and IFRS Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Overview Abandoned/Unclaimed Property Excise & Motor Fuels Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax Property Tax Sales/Use Tax Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services State Credits and Incentives Tax Advisory Services – International Overview Expatriate Tax Export Incentives FATCA and Nonresident Withholding Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring International Tax Reporting and Planning International Withholding Tax Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions Tax Credits and Incentives Overview Research & Development Cost Segregation Overview Benefit Analysis Request PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives Tax Transaction Advisory Overview Due Diligence Transaction Cost Analysis Tax All Services Wealth Management Overview Ultra High Net Worth Investors High Net Worth Investors Voyage Program Financial Planning Institutions and Non-Profits View all services Industries Overview Automotive Construction Emerging Technology Energy & Resources Financial Government Healthcare Higher Education International Manufacturing Not-for-Profit Private Equity Firm Services Professional Services Real Estate Retail & Business-to-Consumer Transportation & Logistics Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Events About Us Overview Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World Case Studies Diversity History Management Mission and Corporate Values News Peer Review PrimeGlobal SD Standard Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) Locations Pittsburgh, PA Columbus, OH Metropolitan Washington Careers Audit Services - CASE STUDY Starting Early: Delivering a Timely Audit with a Proactive Approach Client: American Commercial Barge LineSchneider Downs Service: ERISA Audit How it Started Lack of Preparation & Excessive Paperwork In 2021, Schneider Downs was contacted by a company that had missed its most recent ERISA filing date by several months, creating significant frustration with their current provider. Although Schneider Downs was not local to their area, at the recommendation of their actuary, the client reached out to us. When he asked us to propose on their ERISA audits, the prospect was very clear: his top priority was filing timely this year.We were determined to deliver. Every Step of the Way Early Planning and Scheduling After our initial meeting, it was clear that this audit required an especially proactive approach. In general, due to the extensive third-party coordination and client onboarding tasks that come with a first-year ERISA audit, it’s tricky to make granular predictions about specific timing. However, to make sure the client felt comfortable that this year would be different than the last, we carefully outlined and committed to a detailed timeline of our audit plan in April. Internal Reviews & Clear Communication To ensure we delivered on the timeline we promised, we began conducting biweekly calls with the client in June, even though fieldwork didn’t start until August. When we did begin fieldwork, which we conducted remotely, we upped the cadence of our calls and communicated regularly with the client through issuance—which occurred with time to spare. How it's Going Enhanced Financial Accuracy, Strengthened Internal Controls & Operational Efficiency Since successfully completing their ERISA audits, we’ve developed a strong partnership with the client and continue to provide several complimentary services and general advisory services as they grow. Today, because we’ve demonstrated that their priorities are our priorities, we’re the first to know whenever a change occurs within their organization.They know we’ll always pick up their call. Schneider Downs did an amazing job. Speaker Name Schedule an Audit Assessment Today ### Audit Case Studies Template Explore Audit Services Case Studies Learn how our clients effectively managed risk, ensured compliance, enhanced operational efficiency, and more. 30 Years and Counting: Transitioning Leadership, Evolving Business Structure, Stewarding ExpansionClient: Supplier of Freight Forwarding Starting Early: Delivering a Timely Audit with a Proactive ApproachClient: Global Marine Shipping & Transportation Powering Progress: Energy Expertise Fuels Seamless Partnership and Long-Term GrowthClient: USA Mining, Processing and Transportation Organization Compliance Crisis to Clean Slate: Preparing a 401K Plan for Clean AuditClient: Technology Company with Domestic and International Operations Ready for Anything: Long-standing Bonds Enable Swift Responses in Dynamic ClimateClient: Nationally-renowned Geotechnical Engineering and Construction Firm Raising the Bar: Value-Added Services Supercharge SuccessClient: Multi-location, Multi-generational, Recently Transitioned Construction Client Big Thinking and Personal Focus: A Decade of Excellence with a Complex, Multi-Faceted EntityClient: Family-owned, Nationally Recognized Professional Services Company From Providers to Partners: Continuously Tailored Solutions for Record-Breaking Closing TimelinesClient: Multi-Location, Global, Long-term Client From Acquisition to Audit: Guiding a SaaS Company Through a Seamless StartClient: SaaS Start Up in Emerging Technologies ### Elementor Loop Item #53382 ### SD Capital header " data-hide-for="large"> Loading... Services Meet Our Team Transactions Client Portal Group 3Created with Sketch. Make a Payment Close Open Search Submit Contact us " data-hide-for="large"> Loading... Services Meet Our Team Transactions Client Portal Group 3Created with Sketch. Make a Payment Close Open Search Submit Contact us ### Marissa SDC Template Schneider Downs Capital Value advisors for the middle market. SD Capital is a premier, full-service, value growth and transaction advisory practice serving middle market companies. At SD Capital, we work with owners to help them create and leverage maximum business values by evaluating and executing one of multiple pathways for downstream sales and monetization.We use our experience executing all types of transactions to focus our advice on identifying and executing the best possible solution to accomplish our clients’ goals.As former owners and operators, we offer a unique perspective on the complex journey of building value and selling companies. Our team’s expertise spans multiple sell side options, including majority or minority recapitalization, management and partner buy-outs, carve-outs, ESOPs and dividend recapitalizations. We also have considerable experience working with companies as strategic and operating partners to develop and execute inorganic growth strategies.With decades of collective experience and 100+ transactions, we are uniquely positioned to help owners navigate the complex journey of selling their company. We understand that this is a life-changing event and are committed to providing guidance tailored to your goals.PRIMARY CONTACTS: Tom Springer, Peter J. Lieberman Schedule a Consultation The SD Capital Journey We use the following three-phase approach to achieve maximum value upon exit, which allows our clients to routinely achieve exit multiples surpassing industry norms.  Phase I: Baseline Readiness Assessment We perform our baseline readiness assessment through the lens of a buyer, identifying the best ways to discount or reduce the purchase price in a sale. We also identify upside opportunities for value enhancement, such as repositioning a product or service as recurring, rather than project-based, revenue.Through a series of workshops and interviews, combined with data analysis, we provide a roadmap of prioritized actions to enhance company value. We often involve other members of integrated teams (estate/wealth management, tax, etc.) during the assessment process to ensure we identify all potential impacts on the sale process. Phase II: Value Creation During the value creation phase, we collaborate with our clients to address the roadmap we created during the baseline assessment. We often work side by side with our clients as a limited operating partner in this phase, and we track performance by creating monitoring feedback loop of key performance indicators. Phase III: Value Realization In the value realization phase, our team of experienced transaction advisory professionals leverages the work of phases I and II to take business owners through a streamlined sale process. Our detailed analysis of the potential buyer pool often helps create upside value by providing a more targeted and abbreviated auction process. We perform our baseline readiness assessment through the lens of a buyer, identifying the best ways to discount or reduce the purchase price in a sale. We also identify upside opportunities for value enhancement, such as repositioning a product or service as recurring, rather than project-based, revenue.Through a series of workshops and interviews, combined with data analysis, we provide a roadmap of prioritized actions to enhance company value. We often involve other members of integrated teams (estate/wealth management, tax, etc.) during the assessment process to ensure we identify all potential impacts on the sale process.During the value creation phase, we collaborate with our clients to address the roadmap we created during the baseline assessment. We often work side by side with our clients as a limited operating partner in this phase, and we track performance by creating monitoring feedback loop of key performance indicators.In the value realization phase, our team of experienced transaction advisory professionals leverages the work of phases I and II to take business owners through a streamlined sale process. Our detailed analysis of the potential buyer pool often helps create upside value by providing a more targeted and abbreviated auction process. Who We Are Consultants and Executives to the private equity community.Corporate C-suite, M&A and growth roles in acquisitive Fortune 100 companies.Deep commercial, government contracting and international business model expertise.Leadership across the full M&A continuum as buyers and sellers with 100’s of transactions.Owner operators with successful exits.Proficiency in debt restructuring, turn-around, and special situations. Industry Experience Why SD Capital? Entrepreneurial Expertise Executive Insights Industry Expertise Transaction Structuring Integrated Practice Benefit from our firsthand experience as former owners who have built and sold companies. We have a profound respect for and understanding of the challenges, opportunities and concerns you face. Tap into executive insights from our tenure as former C-Suite executives in Private Equity Portfolio Companies. We specialize in driving your company’s performance to its peak, maximizing value upon exit. Benefit from our broad base of experience across multiple industries both as C-Suite members and transaction advisors. Rely on our expertise in structuring multiple transactions including credit facilities for leveraged buyouts, add-on acquisitions and growth capital to enhance your financial strategies for success. Access a deep talent pool of tax, wealth management, accounting, due diligence and valuation professionals through our relationship with Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Benefit from our firsthand experience as former owners who have built and sold companies. We have a profound respect for and understanding of the challenges, opportunities and concerns you face.Tap into executive insights from our tenure as former C-Suite executives in Private Equity Portfolio Companies. We specialize in driving your company's performance to its peak, maximizing value upon exit.Benefit from our broad base of experience across multiple industries both as C-Suite members and transaction advisors.Rely on our expertise in structuring multiple transactions including credit facilities for leveraged buyouts, add-on acquisitions and growth capital to enhance your financial strategies for success.Access a deep talent pool of tax, wealth management, accounting, due diligence and valuation professionals through our relationship with Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.For more information, please contact the team at contactsd@sdcapital.com.SD Capital is a subsidiary of Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Contact our team of professionals today. Have a question or comment or need advice? Email us today. About Schneider DownsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer Internal Audit; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs is the 13th largest accounting firm in the Mid-Atlantic region and serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and McLean, VA.Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPCSchneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP Customer Relationship Summary (Form CRS). ### Elementor Loop Item #50137 Phase I: Baseline Readiness AssessmentWe perform our baseline readiness assessment through the lens of a buyer, identifying the best ways to discount or reduce the purchase price in a sale. We also identify upside opportunities for value enhancement, such as repositioning a product or service as recurring, rather than project-based, revenue.Through a series of workshops and interviews, combined with data analysis, we provide a roadmap of prioritized actions to enhance company value. We often involve other members of integrated teams (estate/wealth management, tax, etc.) during the assessment process to ensure we identify all potential impacts on the sale process. ### Management Team Management Team Our shareholders have directed corporations, owned small businesses and managed nonprofits. They know your business. Our shareholders and partners are dedicated to the growth, stability and mission of Schneider Downs.We know that these kinds of people are key to creating a quality organization, so we make sure our employees are involved and challenged in their work. Their continued dedication to Schneider Downs lets us remain fully committed to you. Corporate Finance All (1) Consulting (1) PETER J. LIEBERMAN Consulting Shareholder Consulting No team members found. Tax No team members found. No team members found. Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ### Persona Archive Exit and Succession Planning Scenarios Exit and succession planning is one of the most important strategies you will need to implement throughout the life of your business, and whether you are ready to start today or in 10 years, it’s never too early to begin the discussions.The Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team understand that every engagement is unique with each client having specific goals, objectives and needs based on their individual circumstances. Below are sample client profiles illustrating the different scenarios that can benefit from exit and succession planning services.  Meet David A Successful Business Founder and Owner Ready to Retire Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold?" Meet Darren A Serial Entrepreneur Looking for His Next Adventure How can I learn more about the due diligence process to ensure my company’s value is represented accurately?" Meet ABC Technologies A Successful Start-Up Technology Company Confronting Business Challenges and Needs  How can we grow the business without losing control or sight of our mission?" Meet The Hawthornes A Successful Family Business CEO Ready to Transition to the Next Generation Are my children capable to run the business? Do they even want to?" Meet Lisa A Female Business Owner of a Construction Company Who can lead the company when I leave? Is there family or a current leader that can carry it forward, or is a direct sale better?" Meet NP Consulting A Professional Services Firm Interested in Becoming an ESOP Does an ESOP make sense compared to individuals separately owning shares?" Meet Sasha A Successful Female Business Owner Growing Her Business How can I find and attract the right talent to help my company grow and increase in value?" Meet The Lins A Family-Owned Business Coming to an End What if we can’t find a buyer?"Whether you are unsure of your next steps, are looking at a buyer, private equity or public offering or thinking of transitioning to family, key management, gifting to individuals or trusts, or considering an ESOP, Schneider Downs will listen, understand, create, manage and fully execute your exit and succession plan.If you would like to speak to a member of the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team, please contact us directly at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners.To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.  ### Persona Template MEET DAVID Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold?" Recommended Services Business Valuation Employee Equity Award Evaluation of Exit Options Process Improvement / Business Value Driver Optimization Tax Minimization and Wealth Management Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold?" A Successful Business Founder and Owner Ready to Retire When David was in his early 30s, he started his own company. Now that he’s been at the helm of a thriving organization for several years, David is very proud of what he has built. However, as he nears retirement age, he’s beginning to wonder how his company will continue to thrive with someone else in charge. While he values his associates, there’s no one internally that he feels would be quite right for the job, and his children are busy pursuing their own dreams. Therefore, David is looking for the right buyer—one that will treat the clients he’s spent years building relationships with as well as he does. Key Business and Operational Questions Are there equity arrangements available to bring associates into the ownership fold? Do I want to have a role after selling? If so, what does that look like?How can I ensure my employees are taken care of when I leave?How do I bring on partners without losing control as I transition out?What is my legacy? Key Financial Considerations and Questions Do I have a fair offer?What are the personal and business tax implications of selling?What do I need to do to prepare for the sale and how long does the process take?What is my company worth and how do I maximize the value of the market?When is the best time to sell? Recommended Services Business Valuation Employee Equity Award Evaluation of Exit Options Process Improvement / Business Value Driver Optimization Tax Minimization and Wealth Management Does this story sound familiar? If so, the Schneider Downs Exit and Succession Planning team can help. For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Please note, our services are best suited for targeted businesses with revenue or value in excess of $5M. Ask our Exit and Succession Planning Professionals Please fill out the form and one of our professionals will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Email* Question PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Ask Us About Schneider Downs Exit and Succession PlanningSchneider Downs’ Exit and Succession Planning services are multi-disciplined, fully integrated and holistic exit planning and succession solutions that are customized and designed for business owners by business owners. To learn more, visit our dedicated Exit and Succession Planning page.The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.  ### Elementor Header #45478 " data-hide-for="large"> Loading... 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Services Audit and Assurance Services Overview ESG Assurance Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Overview Services Employee Benefit Plan Resources Frequently Asked Questions Public Companies Assurance Services International Assurance Services Accounting Advisory Services Consulting Services Overview Cybersecurity Overview Additional Services Products Overview Carbon Black Guardicore Mimecast Redlure Sophos Meet Our Team Resources Contact Financial Advisory Services Overview Accounting Advisory Services Overview Accounting Project Management Managed Lease Accounting Services Technical Accounting Advisory Services Business Consulting Services Overview Meet Our Team Business Interruption Services Business Restructuring Overview Performance Improvement Turnaround/Restructuring Insolvency Services Debt Placement Compensation Studies Data Analytics for Business Consulting Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Financial and Cash Flow Modeling Forensic & Investigative Accounting Fraud Mitigation Services Litigation Support Services Management Advisory Services Profitability and Operations Management Services Other Business Advisory Services Investment Banking IT Risk Advisory Overview Data Privacy Services Network Device Security Configuration Assessment FFIEC IT Compliance Assessment GDPR Compliance HIPAA Compliance Assessment HITRUST Information Technology Audit InfoSec Policy Templates IRS Publication 1075 ISO 27001 Compliance Assessment IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Assessment Services NIST Payment Card Industry Security Standard Compliance SOC Practice Overview SAP Audits and Controls M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Overview Baseline and Readiness Assessments Growth, Strategy and Transaction Advisory Services Post-Transaction Advisory Services All M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Meet The Team Managed Accounting Services Overview CFO Services Controller Services Full Accounting Services Risk Advisory Services Overview Internal Audit Solutions Overview Data Analytics for Internal Audit Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Internal Audit Sourcing Robotic Process Automation for Internal Audit Risk Management and Compliance Services Overview Enterprise Risk Management Fraud Risk Assessment Merger and Acquisition Risk Evaluation SOC Compliance, Assessments and Readiness Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting Overview ESG FAQs SOX Readiness, Optimization and Program Sourcing Third-Party Risk Management Overview Ad-Hoc Review Capabilities and Maturity Assessment External Assessor Program Implementation and Development Program Support Services TPRM Officer-as-a-Service Training, Education, and Awareness Information Technology Advisory Overview Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Data Privacy and Security IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Advisory Process Improvement Consulting Overview Business Process Optimization Data Analytics (ADAPT) Digital Transformation SOC Practice Overview Overview SOC Reports SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Technology and Data Services Overview Business Process Automation Cloud and IT Solutions Overview BI360 Business Intelligence Solutions Overview BI360 Videos and Demos Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Microsoft Dynamics GP Microsoft Dynamics NAV Microsoft Product Resources Sage Fixed Assets SD inSITE Overview SD inSITE Modules Performance Evaluation Grid (PEG) simpLEASE Accounting Overview simpLEASE FAQs simpLEASE Capabilities Contact simpLEASE Data Analytics Digital Transformation Overview Digital Transformation in Finance & Accounting Digital Transformation Readiness Assessment Digital Transformation FAQs Private Client Services Overview Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Service Offerings Overview Tax and Personal Financial Services Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Private Family Office Philanthropy Wealth Management Meet Our Private Client Services Team Insights Contact Us Retirement Solutions Overview Advisory Services Consulting ESOP Services Recordkeeping Third-Party Administration Services Executive Compensation Retirement Plan Fiduciary Risk Assessment Tax Services Overview Tax About Us Tax Compliance and Consulting Business Tax Individual Tax Not-for-profit Tax Gift, Trust and Estate Services Managed Tax Services Overview Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Income Tax Provisions – ASC 740 and IFRS Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Overview Abandoned/Unclaimed Property Excise & Motor Fuels Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax Property Tax Sales/Use Tax Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services State Credits and Incentives Tax Advisory Services – International Overview Expatriate Tax Export Incentives FATCA and Nonresident Withholding Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring International Tax Reporting and Planning International Withholding Tax Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions Tax Credits and Incentives Overview Research & Development Cost Segregation Overview Benefit Analysis Request PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives Tax Transaction Advisory Overview Due Diligence Transaction Cost Analysis Tax All Services Wealth Management Overview Ultra High Net Worth Investors High Net Worth Investors Voyage Program Financial Planning Institutions and Non-Profits View all services Industries Overview Automotive Construction Emerging Technology Energy & Resources Financial Government Healthcare Higher Education International Manufacturing Not-for-Profit Private Equity Firm Services Professional Services Real Estate Retail & Business-to-Consumer Transportation & Logistics Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Events About Us Overview Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World Case Studies Diversity History Management Mission and Corporate Values News Peer Review PrimeGlobal SD Standard Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) Locations Pittsburgh, PA Columbus, OH Metropolitan Washington Careers Client Portal Group 3Created with Sketch. 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Services Audit and Assurance Services Overview ESG Assurance Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Overview Services Employee Benefit Plan Resources Frequently Asked Questions Public Companies Assurance Services International Assurance Services Accounting Advisory Services Consulting Services Overview Cybersecurity Overview Additional Services Products Overview Carbon Black Guardicore Mimecast Redlure Sophos Meet Our Team Resources Contact Financial Advisory Services Overview Accounting Advisory Services Overview Accounting Project Management Managed Lease Accounting Services Technical Accounting Advisory Services Business Consulting Services Overview Meet Our Team Business Interruption Services Business Restructuring Overview Performance Improvement Turnaround/Restructuring Insolvency Services Debt Placement Compensation Studies Data Analytics for Business Consulting Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Financial and Cash Flow Modeling Forensic & Investigative Accounting Fraud Mitigation Services Litigation Support Services Management Advisory Services Profitability and Operations Management Services Other Business Advisory Services Investment Banking IT Risk Advisory Overview Data Privacy Services Network Device Security Configuration Assessment FFIEC IT Compliance Assessment GDPR Compliance HIPAA Compliance Assessment HITRUST Information Technology Audit InfoSec Policy Templates IRS Publication 1075 ISO 27001 Compliance Assessment IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Assessment Services NIST Payment Card Industry Security Standard Compliance SOC Practice Overview SAP Audits and Controls M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Overview Baseline and Readiness Assessments Growth, Strategy and Transaction Advisory Services Post-Transaction Advisory Services All M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Meet The Team Managed Accounting Services Overview CFO Services Controller Services Full Accounting Services Risk Advisory Services Overview Internal Audit Solutions Overview Data Analytics for Internal Audit Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Internal Audit Sourcing Robotic Process Automation for Internal Audit Risk Management and Compliance Services Overview Enterprise Risk Management Fraud Risk Assessment Merger and Acquisition Risk Evaluation SOC Compliance, Assessments and Readiness Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting Overview ESG FAQs SOX Readiness, Optimization and Program Sourcing Third-Party Risk Management Overview Ad-Hoc Review Capabilities and Maturity Assessment External Assessor Program Implementation and Development Program Support Services TPRM Officer-as-a-Service Training, Education, and Awareness Information Technology Advisory Overview Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Data Privacy and Security IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Advisory Process Improvement Consulting Overview Business Process Optimization Data Analytics (ADAPT) Digital Transformation SOC Practice Overview Overview SOC Reports SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Technology and Data Services Overview Business Process Automation Cloud and IT Solutions Overview BI360 Business Intelligence Solutions Overview BI360 Videos and Demos Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Microsoft Dynamics GP Microsoft Dynamics NAV Microsoft Product Resources Sage Fixed Assets SD inSITE Overview SD inSITE Modules Performance Evaluation Grid (PEG) simpLEASE Accounting Overview simpLEASE FAQs simpLEASE Capabilities Contact simpLEASE Data Analytics Digital Transformation Overview Digital Transformation in Finance & Accounting Digital Transformation Readiness Assessment Digital Transformation FAQs Private Client Services Overview Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? 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E-mail NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Sign up Schneider Downs Events Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. In cras tortor urna in vel consectetur arcu. Mauris. Upcoming Past Events Test February 29, 2024 Test February 27, 2024 SOC 2 Compliance: Key Steps to Success in 2024 Webinar January 25, 2024 2023 CPE Month Webinar Series December 5, 2023 Securing Success: Cybersecurity Strategies and IT Risk Compliance for Retailers Amidst Changing Rules November 15, 2023 Tee Off Against Cancer – 2023 Men Wear Pink Fundraiser October 18, 2023 Guest Bartending – 2023 Men Wear Pink Fundraiser September 19, 2023 View More Events Media Center Schneider Downs is pleased to accommodate media requests for interviews or background information. Media inquiries can be directed to Alicia Furlan.For inquiries regarding specific topics, the following professionals are available for interviews and speaking engagements:Schneider Downs & Co.Steven Thompson and Christopher McElroyTax Advisory ServicesJustin SteeleState and Local Tax (SALT)Stephen WorthAssurance Advisory ServicesStaci Brogan (Pittsburgh)Trevor Warren (Columbus)Risk Advisory/SOXJames B. Yard Wealth Management Derek EichelbergerRetirement Planning/ Employee Benefit ServicesJason M. Lumpkin Technology Advisory ServicesEric Wright Investment BankingPeter J. LiebermanBusiness Advisory ServicesAdam GoodeFor more information on our industry group contacts, visit our Industries section. Audio Archive > ### CTA How we can help Learn How We Can help you meet your goals Ask A Question Submit an RFP ### Search Result Search Results ### Quiz Section SOC Report Quiz Does your organization need a system and organization controls (SOC) report? SOC examinations provide management with assurance regarding the effectiveness of an organization's internal controls, while also providing insights for opportunities to improve internal controls and risk mitigation activities.Obtaining a SOC report has become increasingly relevant for organizations of all sizes, as the report demonstrates that effective internal controls and related safeguards have been implemented.Does your organization need a SOC Report? Take our brief quiz to help answer the question. 1Does your organization outsource or provide outsourced services for critical business functions or processes (e.g., payroll, collections, inventory management and logistics, claims processing, investment management, processing transactions, storing data) or information technology operations (e.g., managed service provider (MSP), infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) or data center)? Yes No Don't Know 2Do the financial statement auditors of your organization's customers (user entities) request System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports for your organization and/or request to perform audit procedures on your organization's activities for the services provided to customers? Yes No Don't Know 3Do contracts with your organization's customers or prospective customers require you to provide a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report or have a right to audit clause? Yes No Don't Know 4Do you receive requests from your customers or prospective customers to provide System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports? Yes No Don't Know 5Does your organization use or provide applications that are software-as-a-service (SaaS) or platform-as-a-service (PaaS)? Yes No Don't Know 6Does your organization store, process or transmit confidential information or sensitive data (e.g., personally identifiable information (PII), personal health information (PHI), proprietary customer information, credit cards) on behalf of customers? Yes No Don't Know 7Does your organization need assurance regarding information security and/or compliance requirements (e.g., HIPAA, HITRUST, PCI, FISMA, ISO 27001, etc.) or is your organization operating in a regulated environment? Yes No Don't Know 8Does management of your organization want to obtain assurance regarding the internal controls at your organization relative to security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity and/or privacy? Yes No Don't Know EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Contact Us PITTSBURGH One PPG Place, Suite 1700 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:412.261.3644 f:412.261.4876 COLUMBUS 65 East State Street, Suite 2000 Columbus, OH 43215 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:614.621.4060 f:614.621.4062 METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON 1660 International Drive McLean, VA 22102 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:571.380.9003 Follow Us Facebook-square Twitter Linkedin-in Youtube Rss CLIENT PORTAL Subscribe For Updates E-mail EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### CTA Simplease contact Ready to Get Started? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ### CTA Schedule a Demo Ready to Get Started? Schedule a Demo ### CTA two buttons View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Hero (image on bg) M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Trusted guidance to create value at every stage of business transactions. Contact Us Today ### Hero Section (only title) TPRM Ad Hoc Review Services ### Universal Template ### Hero white shape Schneider Downs’ total rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and programs to make your professional life better. ### Case Studies Two columns (most common items) Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Meet the Team Meet Our TeamThe Schneider Downs M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Team consist of experienced professionals from our Transaction Advisory and Corporate Finance Practices who are dedicated to working side-by-side with clients to understand their options, define achievable goals, optimize enterprise value, and most importantly, ensure that their best interests are properly represented at every stage of the transaction. SHAREHOLDERS Adam Goode CPA Learn More > Peter Lieberman Learn More > Tom Springer Learn More > DIRECTORS AND MANAGEMENT Alyssa M. Fudala Learn More > Imran Mohiuddin Learn More > Julia Ann M. Boles Learn More > Marc Brdar CPA, CFF, CIA Michael Fox Michael Hart Learn More > Stuart Lawson Tyler M. Reeder Learn More > Ready to Get Started?For more information on how the Schneider Downs M&A and Transaction Advisory Team can help you maximize the value of your business, contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.Related ServicesBaseline and Readiness AssessmentsInvestment Banking Growth, Strategy and Transaction Advisory Services Post-Transaction Advisory ServicesAbout Schneider Downs M&A and Transaction Advisory ServicesThe Schneider Downs Transaction Advisory Services and Corporate Finance Teams provide the strategy, guidance and services organizations need to create value through all stages of a transaction, including due diligence and quality of earnings, mergers and acquisitions, exit and succession planning, capital raising and corporate financeVisit our dedicated M&A and Transaction Advisory Services page or contact the team directly at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Contact Us PITTSBURGH One PPG Place, Suite 1700 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:412.261.3644 f:412.261.4876 COLUMBUS 65 East State Street, Suite 2000 Columbus, OH 43215 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:614.621.4060 f:614.621.4062 METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON 1660 International Drive McLean, VA 22102 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:571.380.9003 Follow Us Facebook-square Twitter Linkedin-in Youtube Rss CLIENT PORTAL Subscribe For Updates E-mail NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Page with full height sidebar How Secure is Your Remote Workforce? Evaluating and strengthening your cybersecurity posture has never been more important as it is now. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased shift to remote workforces and in turn, increased vulnerabilities and threats placing your organization at risk. Get inside the mind of a hacker in our popular whitepaper “10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit” to learn about underlying circumstances leading to breaches and best practices to prevent becoming a statistic. About Schneider DownsThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity team provides robust services dedicated to keeping organizations secure including penetration testing, phishing and ransomware prevention services, incident response planning, digital forensics, and purple team assessments. In addition our Incident Response Team is available around the clock at 1-800-993-8937 if your organization suspects or is experiencing a network incident. For more information contact the team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com or visit Cybersecurity.Helpful LinksSchneider Downs Penetration Testing OverviewSchneider Downs Digital Forensics & Incident Response OverviewSchneider Downs Cybersecurity Resource LibrarySchneider Downs Cybersecurity Blog DOWNLOAD THE CONTENT Fill out the form for your complimentary copy of 10 Vulnerabilities Hackers Love to Exploit. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company/Organization* Email* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Cybersecurity Resources (extended) Cybersecurity Resources Resource Library Our Thoughts On Blog ### Blue Box Effective Strategies for Board Communications on Cybersecurity REQUEST A SESSION Executives and board members alike are all keenly concerned about cyber-risks. Boards typically lack specific cyber-expertise but they've all seemingly read the same whitepaper on what questions to ask your CISO and/or Cybersecurity team. So why does it feel like a challenge to address their concerns and what is causing the communication gap?In this session, we will explore how to answer common tough questions such as "Are we secure?" or "Have we been hacked?" and others. Attendees will walk away with proven methods and strategic ideas that will better prepare them for future discussions with board member and c-suite executive conversations. icon-check-orangeCreated with Sketch. A high-level understanding of the modern cybersecurity threat landscape icon-check-orangeCreated with Sketch. A breakdown of common strategic shortcomings that can negatively impact an organization’s overall security posture icon-check-orangeCreated with Sketch. Strategic takeaways and tangible steps to help improve board communication ### Page Cybersecurity Services Make a Payment Start building a career with people motivated to help you succeed and enjoy more of what counts Contact Us Today Electronic Funds Transfer Transfer funds directly from your bank with no additional fees. Learn More Credit Card A 3% convenience fee will be applied to all credit card transactions. Debit cards are not accepted. Learn More Payment Plan QuickFee offers an easy, no-hassle way for you to spread the cost of your invoice(s) over three to twelve monthly payments.* Learn More PRIMARY CONTACT: Carl N. Kriebel CISSPThreats to your IT environment can come from virtually anywhere at any time. Anticipating risk means thinking like those who would benefit from your vulnerability and protecting you with a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity.Cybersecurity Services Overview View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact us ### Cybersecurity Resources Cybersecurity Resources Case Studies Learn More > Our Thoughts On Learn More ### Single Cybersecurity What is HITRUST?The HITRUST Common Security Framework (HITRUST CSF) is a certifiable framework that provides organizations with a comprehensive, flexible, and efficient approach to regulatory compliance and risk management. The HITRUST Alliance is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 2007, born out of the belief that information protection should be a core pillar of, rather than an obstacle to, the broad adoption of health information systems and exchanges. HITRUST also leads many efforts in awareness, education, and advocacy related to information protection. In addition, HITRUST's framework has since been developed to be non-industry specific.The HITRUST CSF consists of 14 Control Categories (see below), 19 Domains, 49 Control Objectives, 156 Control References, and 3 Implementation Levels. The HITRUST CSF was built on the primary principles of ISO 27001/27002 and has evolved to align with a wide range of regulations, standards, and business requirements. These include HIPAA, PCI-DSS, NIST 800-53, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, COBIT, GDPR, and more.HITRUST CSF Control CategoriesInformation Security Management ProgramAccess ControlHuman Resources SecurityRisk ManagementSecurity PolicyOrganization of Information SecurityComplianceAsset ManagementPhysical and Environmental SecurityCommunications and Operations ManagementInformation Systems Acquisition, Development and MaintenanceInformation Security Incident ManagementBusiness Continuity ManagementPrivacy PracticesWhy HITRUST?You have a customer requiring HITRUST complianceYou're looking to improve your overall security posture through a recognized, reputable and certifiable frameworkYou're looking to establish governance over your risk management and information security programsYou're looking to differentiate your organization through adoption of an efficient, flexible and scalable standardHarmonizes and maps existing controls and requirements from standards, regulations, business, and third-party requirements, including:HIPAA, NIST 800-53, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001/2, COBIT, GDPR, etc.Scales controls based on the size, type, and complexity of your organizationIs non-industry specificThe HITRUST CSF Assurance Program enables trust in information protection through an efficient and manageable approachThe comprehensiveness of the requirement statements for the assessed entity is based on multiple levels within the HITRUST CSF as determined by defined risk factors LEARN MORE ABOUT HITRUST CSF REPORTING OTHER USEFUL LINKS SOC 2 + Examinations | HIPAA | IT TPRM | View our additional IT Risk Advisory services and capabilities Learn More Contact Us ### Single Private Client Services without hero By Share with a colleague Download PDF Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Share ### Page International Tax CPAs INTERNATIONAL TAX CPAS – SALT LAKE CITY (UT) Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm that serves clients in Salt Lake City, and across Utah. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Salt Lake City International Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms.  National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Salt Lake City International Tax CPAsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Salt Lake City and across Utah.  to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you.*** Our international tax services provide optimal value to international businesses & executives.  ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Company* Email* Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you? Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Salt Lake City Exports by Sector ### Text content with background An internship with Schneider Downs is an excellent way to discover what we are all about. You will work directly with other members of client engagement teams on various assignments involving audit, tax and accounting issues. This hands-on learning environment provides a terrific introduction to the profession and our firm.In addition, you'll have opportunities to participate in community service activities and firm networking/social events.The Yearbook entries below provide insight into what some of our former interns think about their experiences. In most cases, we utilize our internship program to recruit for full-time employees. In fact, over 90% of our former interns received full-time offers.Connect with us to begin the process! ### Single Staff with one Tab CONTACT professional bio ### Contact us with map Contact Us PITTSBURGH One PPG Place, Suite 1700 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:412.261.3644 f:412.261.4876 COLUMBUS 65 East State Street, Suite 2000 Columbus, OH 43215 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:614.621.4060 f:614.621.4062 METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON 1660 International Drive McLean, VA 22102 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:571.380.9003 Follow Us Facebook-square Twitter Linkedin-in Youtube Rss CLIENT PORTAL Subscribe For Updates E-mail PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Staff simple single page ### Single Staff ### M&A and Transaction Advisory Services M&A and Transaction Advisory Services Trusted guidance to create value at every stage of business transactions. Contact Us Today PRIMARY CONTACTS:Adam J. Goode, CPAPeter J. LiebermanTom SpringerThe Schneider Downs M&A and Transaction Advisory Team provides the strategy, guidance and services organizations need to create value through all stages of a transaction, including due diligence and quality of earnings, mergers and acquisitions, exit and succession planning, capital raising and corporate finance.With a focus on middle-market organizations, our team has the collective business, industry and technical expertise necessary to help clients understand their options and achieve successful outcomes, whether the goal is buy-side, sell-side or post-merger integration. Our team of experienced consultants from our Transaction Advisory and Corporate Finance Practices work side-by-side with clients to assess, maximize, transform and optimize enterprise value, and most importantly, ensure their best interests are properly represented at every stage of the deal process.  Download the Schneider Downs M&A and Transaction Advisory Brochure M&A AND TRANSACTION ADVISORY SERVICES M&A AND TRANSACTION ADVISORY SERVICES Understand the best options for your business’s next step. GROWTH, STRATEGY AND TRANSACTION ADVISORY Strategic, operational and financial solutions for your transaction. INVESTMENT BANKING Seamlessly execute your transaction with our corporate finance professionals. POST-TRANSACTION ADVISORY Address the unique business needs and concerns after your transaction is complete. ALL M&A AND TRANSACTION ADVISORY SERVICES View all of our M&A and Transaction Advisory services and solutions. MEET THE TEAM Meet our team of experienced professionals dedicated to your success. OUR THOUGHTS ON Read the latest insight on key topics in the M&A and Transaction Advisory space. Ready to Get Started?For more information on how the Schneider Downs M&A and Transaction Advisory Team can help you maximize the value of your business, contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Schneider Downs Corporate Finance, LP is a registered broker/dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### simpLEASE Page simpLEASE Accounting Lease Accounting Software Built by Accountants for Accountants Contact Us simpLEASE FAQsCapabilities Contact Us simpLEASE makes the FASB’s Accounting Standards Certification (ASC 842) simple. Designed to solve leasing accounting challenges for organizations of all sizes, simpLEASE is a scalable web-based solution that streamlines the lease accounting process, and provides fast and accurate results regardless of whether you have two or two thousand leases.  How simpLEASE WorkssimpLEASE uses a wizard-based system to walk users through each step of the lease accounting process by providing easy-to-understand guidance to analyze each individual lease. By answering a series of prompts about each contract, simpLEASE produces guidance on the reporting requirements and guidelines for each lease.https://vimeo.com/519223042Features and Benefits:Web-Based - simpLEASE is available 24x7 from any location with no IT resources required.Lease Tracking - Provides a centralized and secure location to house lease data and documents.Intelligent Workflow - Transparent workflow provides review of data before impacting financials and a clear audit trail.Informative Alerts - Receive notifications for approval process and lease-related dates.Comprehensive Reporting - Month end reports that meet 842 requirements and are exportable to Excel.Real-Time Dashboard - Quick access to high-level data in an accessible and intuitive dashboard.Multi-Company Access - Shared or separate options for asset class setup, ground lease structure and securities.Scalable Pricing - Pricing is based on leases and entities, with unlimited users and support included. Learn more about simpLEASE Meeting the ASC 842 lease accounting standard is still an uphill battle for many organizations - regardless of industry - and time is running out. If any of the challenges sound familiar, we are ready to provide you our lease accounting software expertise and experience.Please fill out the form and a member of our team will contact you. "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name Email* I am interested in:*I am interested in:simpLEASE PricingsimpLEASE DemoGeneral InformationCommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Get more information. What is FASB ASC 842?ASC 842 is a lease accounting standard published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) that requires the tracking and disclosure of all lease assets. ASC 842 replaced the previous ASC 840 standard with both public and private companies required to adopt the standard. The effective date for the new lease accounting standard for public organizations went into effect for fiscal years starting after December 15, 2018.The effective date for the new lease accounting standard for private entities and non-profit organizations went into effect for fiscal years starting after December 15, 2021. Nearly every company or organization utilizes lease contracts as part of its day-to-day operations. ASC 842 will dramatically alter how companies identify leases on their annual financial statements. For some organizations, this will mean analyzing hundreds – even thousands – of individual lease contacts – a time-consuming and laborious process.simpLEASE ResourcessimpLEASE Software OverviewsimpLEASE Security OverviewUnderstanding the Lease Accounting Whitepaper"Our Thoughts On" Lease Accounting Articles  About simpLEASENearly every company or organization utilizes lease contracts as part of its day-to-day operations. (ASC) 842 will dramatically alter how companies identify leases on their annual financial statements. For some organizations, this will mean analyzing hundreds – even thousands – of individual lease contacts – a time-consuming and laborious process.simpLEASE is a software program that provides easy-to-understand guidance to analyze each individual lease. The program was developed in conjunction with the accountants at Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest public accounting firms. Schneider Downs has been tracking and anticipating the changes to lease accounting standards for years, and has worked extensively to understand the specifics and intricacies of the standards. Thus, simpLEASE is not only easy to use, but also serves as an extremely insightful and intuitive tool to provide accurate analysis for all lease computations.  READY TO GET STARTED? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261).The climate-focused legislation… Read More > Tis the Season: Unwrapping the Top Holiday Scams of 2023 What are the top holiday scams in 2023?Along with turkey, football and crazy relatives, Thanksgiving also marks the start of… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Retirement Plans and IRAs The Internal Revenue Service published 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) in Notice 2023-75 on November 1, 2023.The COLA increases will become… Read More > Think Before You Click: Fake Browser Updates are Back in Style Why are malware-laced fake browser updates having a moment in 2023?The adage “what’s old is new again,” is certainly true in the cyber… Read More > The SEC ‘Names Rule’: Unpacking the Impacts to ESG Funds On September 20th, the SEC finalized its amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act 40”) that addresses the… Read More > Cybersecurity Awareness Month Celebrates 20 Years October is right around the corner and that means another Cybersecurity Awareness Month is here.Since 2004, the United States and Congress… Read More > How LinkedIn and a Phone Call Led to the Massive MGM Ransomware Attack How did the ransomware attack on MGM Resorts start?“I know more about casino security than any man alive, I invented it,… Read More > Climate Corporate Data Act – What to Know About California SB 253 What are the implications and impact of the CA SB 253 – Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act?On September 12, the California… Read More > 20 Pre-Contract Questions To Ask Your Next SOC 2 Audit Firm What information do you need to know before your SOC 2 audit?When it comes time for a SOC 2 report,… Read More > Five Tax Considerations for Start-up Companies When it comes to taxes, startup companies often underestimate the significance of tax planning, compliance and the implementation of effective tax… Read More > School Yourself on Common Student Loan Cyber Scams What are some of the most common student loan cyber scams to watch out for?With the student loan pause ending… Read More > Six Common Lease Accounting Adoption Mistakes... and How to Avoid Them What are some of the most common mistakes organizations make when adopting the ASC 842 lease accounting standard?Over the past… Read More > SDWMA Thoughts on Silicon Valley Bank By now I am sure a good number, if not all of you, have heard about the rapid fall of… Read More > Digital Transformation and The Construction Industry: Digital Workflows This article is part of series focused on the benefits, challenges and impact of digital transformation on the construction industry… Read More > SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022: Key Highlights The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) was signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 29, 2022, as part… Read More > Resolve to Prevent or Detect Financial Statement Fraud in the New Year As we approach the end of the calendar year for all organizations, and fiscal year for many, it’s a great… Read More > Buyer Beware: Five Common Holiday Scams of 2022 The holiday season means overeating, overspending, and if you’re not careful… oversharing financial information with cyber criminals.With the holiday season right… Read More > International Fraud Awareness Week 2022 Schneider Downs is once again proud to support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it celebrates International Fraud… Read More > IRS Gave the Gift of Higher Estate and Gift Tax Limits for 2023 You know what they say: it is always better to give than to receive. Coincidentally, there is no better time to… Read More > October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! October is right around the corner and that means Cybersecurity Awareness Month is back to help raise awareness on the… Read More > ATA Wins Decision Blocking Rhode Island Truck-Only Tolling Plan Breaking News - On September 21, 2022, the United States District Court for Rhode Island ruled that the State of… Read More > Everything You Need to Know about the New Electric Vehicle Tax Credit President Biden’s August 16th signing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a $739 billion tax, climate, healthcare, and energy law,… Read More > President Biden Announces Student Debt Relief Plan President Joe Biden introduced the Student Debt Relief plan on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. The White House states that the plan… Read More > UPDATE: Inflation Reduction Act – Final Senate Version Eliminates the Change in Carried Interest Rules As observed in our recent blog on the Inflation Reduction Act (or IRA), the vote of Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) was… Read More > Inflation Reduction Act – Tax Provisions Included in Proposed Legislation Late in July, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that he had reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer… Read More > United States Deals with Baby Formula Shortage Over the past few weeks, as you’ve been running errands or completing your grocery shopping, you may have noticed some… Read More > ### No Hero Section Page SD inSITE Modules Employee Time Collection OverviewIS COLLECTING EMPLOYEE TIME SHEETS MORE OF A HASSLE THAN IT SHOULD BE?SD inSITE offers a variety of different methods of payroll time sheet reporting that allows you to provide your staff with the simplest and most effective method of time collection possible. Options as simple as collecting just the date and number of hours to collecting comprehensive project based details inSITE has a time collection screen that best suites your organizational needs (and your users’ abilities).The right time entry interface for your employees makes all the difference in the world, but it is not the only consideration. Providing an easy to use interface helps eliminate the age old adage of “Garbage In = Garbage Out”.Centralized administration of work codes and projects ensure that your staff has access to only what they need; no more, no less. Eliminating confusion increases the accuracy of time entry, which means less time required to verify the data before it goes to your payroll or accounting system.Using inSITE for project based time collection also allows for the automatic distribution of labor hours across various projects eliminating the need for time consuming time allocation procedures.VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO Employee Expenses OverviewARE EMPLOYEE EXPENSES COSTING YOU TOO MUCH TIME?As with time entry, employee expense entry can be more difficult than it needs to be for your staff, supervisors and accounting personnel. With a multitude of codes to remember, changing mileage rates and late or missing receipts, getting employee expenses recorded and approved can be a nightmare. SD inSITE is based upon the premise to keep all steps in the process simple. We build upon of the idea of easy to use employee inputs, smooth interfaces and centralized management to provide a simple, yet effective, expense entry and approval process that your staff will embrace.SD inSITE can use either electronic or paper receipts to match the needs of your organization. Employee mileage reimbursements for mileage are based on the date an expense was incurred (not when it was entered submitted).SD inSITE also allows for the use of the same set of project codes used in time entry to make expense entries in SD inSITE. This allows for the consistent allocation of expenses across the appropriate cost codes.VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO Document Portal OverviewIS IT DIFFICULT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION TO SHARE IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS?While the Internet provides a new level of connectivity it also opens the doors to a host of new security concerns. One of those concerns is the distribution of sensitive documents.While E-Mail gets things to the right people quickly it also opens up the door for loss of control. SD inSITE can provide you with a new level of security when it comes to the distribution of documents across the Internet.The Document Portal in SD inSITE allows for the secure distribution of sensitive and important documents. The document portal allows for the distribution of documents to specific users or groups of users and includes functionality for tracking document usage and making sure documents are not available before or after you require them to be.You can reduce the time it takes to distribute information and improve the level of security surrounding sensitive documents.VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO inSITE Performace Review OverviewARE EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS A MOUNTAIN OF PAPERWORK?Employee evaluations are important; and you should treat them as such.Traditional evaluation systems create mountains of paper that get manually distributed to the organization. The review and approval process can be cumbersome and time consuming.SD inSITE helps reorganize and re-optimize the evaluation process by leveraging both the workflow created for time and expense approval and the easy to use SD inSITE interface. SD inSITE offers personal and supervisor evaluations, peer evaluations and project-based evaluations that allow for internal and external responses.All evaluation information is kept in SD inSITE where it can be reviewed at a later time or simply kept on file for historical purposes.VIEW PRODUCT OVERVIEW | VIEW A DEMO Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261).The climate-focused legislation… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Retirement Plans and IRAs The Internal Revenue Service published 2024 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) in Notice 2023-75 on November 1, 2023.The COLA increases will become… Read More > The SEC ‘Names Rule’: Unpacking the Impacts to ESG Funds On September 20th, the SEC finalized its amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act 40”) that addresses the… Read More > ### Schedule a Demo (Orange CTA) Ready to Get Started? 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E-mail NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Sign up ### Business Process Page Business Process Optimization PRIMARY CONTACTS: James B. Yard CPA, CIA, CISA The people, processes and technology within organizations and practices are constantly being challenged to increase efficiency and maximize limited resources.The Schneider Downs Business Process Optimization (BPO) services are designed to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s core business processes to ensure best practice opportunities are realized, risks are mitigated and a strong foundation exists for controls. Our team of process improvement specialists are adept in understanding and assessing complex workflows, internal risks and controls, systems functionality and automation opportunities.Our team of risk advisory professionals assist our clients in optimizing and transforming their core operational, finance and information technology processes. Combining deep industry expertise with repositories of process insights, we act as a strategic advisor to implement changes to the organization structure to achieve cost reductions and efficiencies, while also providing recommendations to better managing risk and strengthen control activities.Some of the most common triggering events that lead to companies investing in a strategic evaluation of their business processes include:Key changes in management;Control environment failures or changes;Staffing or cost reduction initiatives;Recent fraud or misstatement;Significant control deficiency, material weakness or concerning management letter comments;Untimely or inaccurate operational or financial information to make informed business decisions;Implementation of a new system or systems; andAcquisitions or divestituresWhat does our BPO process look like?Results include an organizational assessment and dashboard of current state against better practice opportunities, as well as a summary of work performed, global risk overviews, and recommendations to achieve increased efficiency, process improvement and internal control environment enhancements.Ready to get started?Contact us to learn more about Schneider Downs Business Process Optimization services.About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business.Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings at Risk Advisory Services or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study OUR THOUGHTS ON Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? Manufacturers whose activities consist of the development of new or improved business products or processes may be eligible for federal… Read More > Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Since our dedicated IT Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity professionals are so heavily involved with ISACA, I jumped at the opportunity… Read More > Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Having financial freedom means doing the things you want to do when you want to do them without having to… Read More > Holiday Spending and Budgeting Even though the holiday season is something most of us look forward to, it has a way of sneaking up… Read More > ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS On December 4th, 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) produced its final regulatory technical standards (RTS) regarding the… Read More > Happier With An Advisor Can working with a financial advisor lead to greater happiness? A recent industry survey strongly suggests that yes, individuals and… Read More > Marginal Well Credit Back to Zero for 2023 Tax Year Just months after declaring the total phase-out of the 2022 Marginal Well Credit, the IRS has released Notice 2023-58, announcing… Read More > The Pros and Cons of I-Bonds Although I-Bonds are a good way to generate tax-free yield in today’s economy, they are subject to penalties if surrendered… Read More > Understanding CA SB 253: The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (CA SB 253).The climate-focused legislation will… Read More > Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261).The climate-focused legislation… Read More > Tis the Season: Unwrapping the Top Holiday Scams of 2023 What are the top holiday scams in 2023?Along with turkey, football and crazy relatives, Thanksgiving also marks the start of… Read More > Squish the Quish – Stop and Think Before You Access a QR Code What are quishing attacks and why are they growing in popularity? Back in May, I attended Cyburgh, an annual conference… Read More > “Constructing” Your Estate to Meet Your Needs As an owner of a construction company, at some point you will need to determine what the next steps are… Read More > ESG in the Construction Industry: Electrification The construction industry plays a critical role in the delivery of key initiatives in the Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”)… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > Frauds of the Rich and the Famous: The Star-studded Saga of Jennifer Shah Jennifer Shah rose to fame through her appearances on the TV reality show "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."… Read More > Frauds of the Rich and Famous: The FTX Collapse and the Chrisleys “Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for… Read More > Frauds of the Rich and Famous: Billy McFarland and The Fyre Festival Who’s excited for Fyre Festival II? What’s the Fyre Festival you ask? If you missed the original Fyre Festival, here’s… Read More > Deal Me In: Close and Settle-up As a transaction advisor, one of the most difficult concepts to explain to an owner/seller is the close and settle-up… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > ### International Tax Pages INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAX ACCOUNTANTS – WASHINGTON, DC Schneider Downs is a Pittsburgh (PA) based Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Firm that serves clients in Washington DC. We focus our services for high net worth business owners and those with significant cross border activities. Our experienced team of international tax accountants and consultants is ready to address your international business needs. The international tax landscape is continually changing and presents new challenges, both domestically and abroad. This reality means that international businesses and investors need to stay updated with the various filing rules and requirements. To intensify the matter, there are often substantial penalties for those who fail to comply or are found to have been willfully neglectful. As a result, it is important to carefully assess international business activities to ensure the appropriate compliance and tax planning steps are taken.Washington DC International Business Tax ServicesInitial structuring, capitalization and entity selection for U.S. and foreign operationTransfer pricing studiesCanada/U.S. cross border tax issuesMexico/U.S. cross border tax issuesDirect and indirect foreign tax credit opportunitiesIC-DISC - Utilizing domestic international sales corporationsEarnings repatriation planningReorganizations involving foreign corporations and foreign-owned U.S. corporationsTransactional analysis and support services including due diligenceU.S. tax compliance and planning for inbound businesses and their employeesExpatriate/ inpatriate tax mattersWho is Schneider Downs?We are a Top 60 CPA and consulting firm serving the accounting, audit and tax needs of entrepreneurs, for-profit and not-for profit organizations. We work with thousands of clients located in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and across the globe.  Our firm has been consistently ranked a Top 60 CPA firm in the U.S. with offices in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh (PA), and Columbus (OH). We are a member of Prime Global and the international professional association of over 300 independent accounting and consulting firms. About Washington DCThe City of Washington DC is the world’s destination. Home of all three branches of the federal government, international organizations, and some of the nation’s largest companies, the city naturally draws people from across the globe. The federal government is responsible for attracting organizations such as law firms, professional associations, and nonprofits, as well as nearly 200 international organizations and embassies. 25% of the city’s employees also work for federal governmental agencies. However, the federal government isn’t fully responsible for the enormous spike in the city’s daytime population during the workweek. The city’s diversified economy is growing, especially in industries such as finance, education, research, and public policy. In fact, according to the 2021 Global Financial Centre’s Index, the city’s financial district scored fourth most competitive in the country and 14th most competitive in the world. National ReachWe also offer international tax and consulting services to businesses in Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Washington DC, Cleveland (OH), Philadelphia (PA), St. Louis (MO),  Miami (FL), and Richmond (VA).Contact Our Washington DC International Business Tax AccountantsSchneider Downs is a Top 60 CPA firm that specializes in serving the international accounting and tax needs of businesses in Washington DC and across the U.S. If you have questions or would like additional information on how we can help you, please complete the form to the right and a team member will promptly follow up with you. ASK US In order to best serve our clients, at the current time, we are focusing on businesses with recurring needs. "*" indicates required fields Name* Company/Organization* Email* Phone NumberComment/Question How would you like us to contact you?* Email Phone How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Washington DC Exports, Export Categories, and Top Export Partners Source – International Tax Administration ### Page Sidebar Right Employee Benefit Plan Audit Requirement Frequently Asked Questions PRIMARY CONTACT: Patricia Giudici, CPAEmployee benefit plan audits are required for a majority of plans that are covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). With increased scrutiny on employee benefit plan audits, the Schneider Downs ERISA group has prepared a listing of Frequently Asked Questions to help parties better understand the requirements and types of benefit plan audits, including the required filings, characteristics to look for in an audit firm, and advice on preparation for an audit. What is ERISA?The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, protects the assets of employees so that funds placed in retirement plans during their working lives will be available when they retire.ERISA is a federal law that establishes certain standards for retirement plans in the private industry.  For example, ERISA specifies (1) minimum standards for employee eligibility, vesting and funding, (2) fiduciary responsibilities and standards, (3) reporting and disclosure requirements, and (4) enforcement responsibilities.  Additionally, certain parts of ERISA are coordinated with applicable tax-related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.What types of benefit plans are subject to ERISA?In general, ERISA applies to the following types of benefit plans:Pension plans sponsored by non-governmental organizations.  Pension plans include both defined benefit and defined contribution plans.  Examples of defined contributions plans include, but are not limited to, profit-sharing plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and 403(b) plan arrangements.Welfare benefit plans (insured or otherwise), providing health insurance, group life insurance, long-term disability income, severance pay, vacation benefits, training programs, daycare centers, scholarship funds, and prepaid legal servicesHealth Reimbursements Accounts (HRAs)Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)What type of retirement plan should I provide to my employees?The type of plan that an organization provides depends on a number of factors, including the size of the organization, the employer’s commitment to providing benefits, the organization’s goals and objectives, the costs of maintaining the plan, etc.Employers should work closely with knowledgeable retirement plan advisors to identify the specific retirement plan program that is appropriate for their organization and employees.What reporting and disclosure requirements are associated with a plan subject to ERISA?There are a number of different federal reporting and employee disclosure requirements associated with maintaining a benefit plan that is subject to ERISA.  While many of these requirements are consistent across all types of ERISA plans (Form 5500 reporting, for example), others depend upon a plan’s specific provisions and features.To assist plan sponsors with identifying their reporting and disclosure responsibilities, the Department of Labor has published a Reporting and Disclosure Guide for Employee Benefit Plans, which can be found at https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/reporting-and-disclosure-guide-for-employee-benefit-plans.pdfHow much can be contributed to a retirement plan?Qualified plan contributions are subject to various limitations under the Internal Revenue Code.  These limitations are updated annually by the IRS.  The following chart provides a comprehensive listing of the current contribution limits:What are the current various IRS limitations on benefits and compensation?IRS Limits20212022Compensation limit$290,000$305,000401(k) deferral limit$19,500$20,500401(k) catch-up limit$6,500$6,500Defined contribution individual limit* $58,000$61,000IRA contribution limit (49 and under)$6,000$6,000IRA contribution limit (50 and above)$7,000$7,000*Excludes catch-up limitsWho is a fiduciary and what are the general responsibilities of a fiduciary?A fiduciary is any individual who has discretionary control or authority over plan management or assets, or responsibility for plan administration or provides investment advice (or has the authority to) for compensation. Fiduciaries include, but are not limited to, plan trustees, plan administrators and members of the plan’s investment committee.Fiduciaries have important responsibilities and are subject to standards of conduct because they act on behalf of participants in a retirement plan and their beneficiaries. These responsibilities include acting solely in the interest of plan participants and their beneficiaries and with the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them; carrying out their duties prudently; following the plan documents (unless inconsistent with ERISA); diversifying plan investments; and paying only reasonable plan expenses.The duty to act prudently is one of a fiduciary’s central responsibilities under ERISA and requires expertise in a variety of areas, such as investments. While many fiduciaries will hire professionals to assist with carrying out these responsibilities, it is important to note that he/she will retain a fiduciary responsibility to monitor the chosen service providers.Who is required to file a form 5500?Form 5500 must be completed by the sponsor of any plan subject to ERISA.  When is the deadline for completing the audit of an employee benefit plan and filing Form 5500?The Form 5500 (and accompanying audit report, if required) is due seven months after the last day of the plan year (July 31 for calendar year-end plans), and can be extended for an additional 2½ months, to October 15 for calendar year-end plans.Are there employee benefit plans that are not subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and therefore don't have an annual reporting obligation?Yes. Governmental plans and church plans are exempt from Title I of ERISA as well as certain types of 403(b) plans that qualify under the safe harbor rules. You should consult with ERISA counsel if you believe your plan may be exempt from the reporting obligations of Title I. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in significant penalties being assessed to your plan.When is an audit of an employee benefit plan required?Generally, employee benefit plans with 100 or more participants (includes eligible, but not participating as well as separated employees with account balances) are considered to be “large” plans and are required to have an audit performed on an annual basis. Plans with fewer than 100 participants (“small” plans) generally do not require an audit to be performed.Are there any exceptions to these general rules?Yes, an exception to these general rules does exist. The "80-120 rule" as it is called may permit plans with more than 100 participants to be treated as a “small” plan. In instances where a plan existed in the previous year, was treated as a small plan for that year and has no more than 120 participants (as of the beginning of the plan year), it may continue to file as a small plan, and no audit will be required. There is no limit to the number of years this rule may be applied. This means a plan may have up to 120 participants for many years without having an audit requirement.However, if a new plan (no previous Form 5500 filing) has 100 or more participants (as of the beginning of the plan year), it must file as a “large” plan, and therefore, would require an audit.What are the audit requirements for a welfare benefit plan?Medical, dental, short- and long-term disability and other types of welfare benefit plans only require an audit if funded. Often, benefits from these plans are paid out of the general assets of the employer/plan sponsor, or through insurance rather than a trust.If the plan uses a trust, it will be considered a funded plan, and an audit will be required if there are 100 or more participants.What are the audit requirements for short plan years?If the plan year is seven months or less, the audit for the short plan year may be deferred until the following plan year. The plan audit for the short plan year still needs to be performed; however, the audit report is filed with the following year's Form 5500. Filing of the short plan year's Form 5500 is not deferred.If the election to defer the audit is elected and the plan participant count falls under 100 for the subsequent plan year, the plan must still meet the large plan filing requirements in that subsequent year.What is an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(c) audit?An ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit permits the plan administrator the option of not having investment information (at the plan level only) tested during the audit. In order to permit a limited scope audit, the investment information must be certified by the trustee or custodian as ‘complete and accurate.’ Certifications of completeness or accuracy, but not both, do not qualify for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit. Additionally, the certification cannot be from a broker/dealer. The certification must be from a qualified institution. Under Department of Labor (DOL) regulations a qualified institution is one that is regulated and subject to periodic examination by a state of Federal agency such as a bank, trust company, or similar institution including an insurance company. The ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit exception does not apply to any other audit areas (i.e., participant data, contributions, distributions, etc.) only to investments.Do all plans qualify to have a limited scope audit?No. 11-k audits (audits of a public company’s employee benefit plan that contains plan sponsor stock), master trust arrangements with certification only at the master level, church and governmental plans and assets held outside of a trust are not eligible for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit audits. Additionally, plans whereby the assets are not held by a qualified institution do not qualify for an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(c) audit. What types of items do plan auditors ask for?The area of most focus in a plan audit should be on participant-related transactions and activity. This includes payroll information, deferral percentages, demographic information, distribution paperwork, claims paid (for health & welfare plans), and, most importantly, the plan document provisions. Without the plan document, an audit should not be started.Just as important as participant data is the plan’s investments. As noted above, the level of audit procedures for investments varies in an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit or full scope audit. However, no matter what the scope, a plan’s financial statements must contain all disclosures required by the financial report framework (generally accepted accounting principles).What are the five most common tips for a successful employee benefit plan audit?Prepare and be proactive: Ensure that the timing of the audit is agreed upon with the audit team and ensure the audit team has provided the client assistance listing in advance of fieldwork. Suggest alternatives: If there are difficulties in fulfilling an audit request, talk to your audit team. There may be alternative reports your auditor can use to accomplish the required test. Communicate: Request regular status meetings with your audit team to discuss open items, testing exceptions, and more. Set Realistic timelines: The timeline should be agreed upon by both the plan sponsor and the audit team in advance. If the plan is going through an audit for the first time, make sure to build additional time into the schedule. Ask Questions: Audit teams welcome the opportunity to answer questions. The audit process should be an interactive process. What is the American Institute of CPAs Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC)?The EBPAQC is a voluntary membership organization for firms performing ERISA employee benefit plan audits and was established to promote the quality of employee benefit plan audits.  The EBPAQC provides members with timely communication of regulatory updates, best practices guidance, technical updates and member to member discussion forums to discuss these matters.What are the membership requirements of the American Institute of CPAs EBPAQC?Membership requirements include designating an audit partner to have firm-wide responsibility for the quality of the firm’s ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice; establishing a program to ensure that all ERISA employee benefit audit plan audit engagement personnel possess current knowledge, appropriate for their level of involvement in the engagement; establishing annual internal inspection procedures that include a review of the firms ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice; establishing policies and procedures specific to the firm's ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice to comply with the applicable professional standards and EBPAQC member requirements.   Why should I look for an audit firm that is a member of the EBPAQC?Studies by the DOL of employee benefit plan audits show a much smaller deficiency rate in firms that belong to the EBPAQC than those that do not.  Given the fiduciary responsibility of the plan sponsor to have a quality audit performed, this becomes a very significant factor to consider.What is an ERISA Fidelity Bond?An ERISA fidelity bond is a required type of insurance that protects the plan against losses caused by fraud or dishonesty.  It is different from fiduciary liability insurance (which is not required but encouraged), which insures fiduciaries against losses caused by breaches of fiduciary responsibilities.Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans ResourcesSchneider Downs ERISA Services Schneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' ArticlesSchneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan ServicesAbout Schneider Downs ERISAThe Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that include both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans page or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. 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During frequent communication throughout the pandemic, Matthew realized one of his clients was struggling with a significant drop in gross receipts. Matthew and his team continually monitor legislative tax changes and noticed previously excluded organizations that received PPP loans and were now also eligible for employee retention credits. “Once we noticed an area of opportunity related to the Employee Retention Credit, we were able to calculate the credit available while navigating PPP forgiveness to ensure maximizing both programs,” said Matthew. “In the end, we identified and claimed over $1 million in refundable credits and the clients were thrilled.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. 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Submit ### Single Industry PRIMARY CONTACTS: Steven A. Barber CPA, MST, Carl D. Scharf CPA Schneider Downs has a long history of advising automobile dealers across the country on accounting, tax and other business advisory matters.Over the course of our 65+ year history, we have had the opportunity to consult in nearly every segment of the dealership business – maximizing cash flows, cost containment, inventory control, reinsurance, financing, or capitalization and more. We understand the critical relationship between the front-end and back-end of your business, and we have earned the trust of our clients through responsive and proactive service. Schneider Downs serves dealers of all sizes from single-point locations to mega-dealerships. Our personalized business approach emphasizes active listening, proactive insights, exceptional guidance and practical solutions to drive results. Our Automotive Services industry group is composed of audit, tax and management consulting professionals who are specifically trained and experienced in matters such as those facing your company. Our Automotive Industry Group members cross departments and meet regularly to ensure efficiencies in the services provided to our clients and discuss issues, regulations and trends affecting the automotive industry. Specialized Automotive Industry SolutionsAt Schneider Downs, we provide extensive and comprehensive solutions to both individual dealers and dealer advertising associations. Individual Dealer ServicesOur Automotive industry group offers a wide range of specialized services geared to the individual dealer, including:Accounting Advisory ServicesAudit and Assurance ServicesBusiness ValuationsBuy/Sell Planning and Due Diligence AnalysisCompensation StudiesCost Segregation Analysis for Real Estate AcquisitionsEmployee Benefit Plan ServicesEstate PlanningExit Planning and Succession AdvisoryFinancial and Cash Flow ModelingForensic and Investigative AccountingLIFO Consulting and ComplianceLitigation Support ServicesRetirement SolutionsTax Planning and Compliance ServicesTechnology and Data ServicesDealer Advertising Association ServicesOur Automotive Services industry group also provides accounting, tax and business advisory services to Dealer Advertising Associations, which manage funds used by regional dealership groups to advertise vehicles within their designated marketing areas. Schneider Downs’ services to our Dealer Advertising Association clients include the following: Assistance with annual financial and/or compliance audits, as performed by independent certified public accountants in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer (if applicable)Assistance with incorporation issues, drafting of by-laws and other organizational mattersAttendance and presentation of financial information at periodic Board of Directors’ meetingsDaily Bookkeeping Distribution of financial statements to authorized recipientsFinancial Statements and SchedulesIncome Tax Returns Monthly Bank Statement ReconciliationPreparation and independent tabulation of ballots with respect to elections and other important voting matters of the associationPreparation of federal Forms 1099 Tax advisory matters and assistance with the resolution of Internal Revenue Service inquiries Automotive Associations and AffiliationsTo stay abreast of current trends and challenges facing dealers, our automotive specialists continuously participate in industry-specific conferences and seminars such as the National Auto Dealer Association (NADA) Convention and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) National Auto Dealership Conference. Automotive Industry Resources Schneider Downs Automotive Services Articles Schneider Downs Remote Learning Center About Schneider Downs Industry GroupsSchneider Downs recognizes that every industry is different, often presenting unique challenges that require individualized insight, innovation and experience. Our experience in these industries is enhanced through participation in focus groups, which address the characteristics that make these industries unique. For more information on additional industries we serve please visit Industries or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   OUR THOUGHTS ON Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Since our dedicated IT Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity professionals are so heavily involved with ISACA, I jumped at the opportunity… Read More > Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Having financial freedom means doing the things you want to do when you want to do them without having to… Read More > Holiday Spending and Budgeting Even though the holiday season is something most of us look forward to, it has a way of sneaking up… Read More > ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS On December 4th, 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) produced its final regulatory technical standards (RTS) regarding the… Read More > Happier With An Advisor Can working with a financial advisor lead to greater happiness? A recent industry survey strongly suggests that yes, individuals and… Read More > Marginal Well Credit Back to Zero for 2023 Tax Year Just months after declaring the total phase-out of the 2022 Marginal Well Credit, the IRS has released Notice 2023-58, announcing… Read More > The Pros and Cons of I-Bonds Although I-Bonds are a good way to generate tax-free yield in today’s economy, they are subject to penalties if surrendered… Read More > Understanding CA SB 253: The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (CA SB 253).The climate-focused legislation will… Read More > Understanding CA SB 261: The Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act On October 7th, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed the Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (CA SB 261).The climate-focused legislation… Read More > Tis the Season: Unwrapping the Top Holiday Scams of 2023 What are the top holiday scams in 2023?Along with turkey, football and crazy relatives, Thanksgiving also marks the start of… Read More > Squish the Quish – Stop and Think Before You Access a QR Code What are quishing attacks and why are they growing in popularity?Back in May, I attended Cyburgh, an annual conference held… Read More > "Constructing" Your Estate to Meet Your Needs As an owner of a construction company, at some point you will need to determine what the next steps are… Read More > ESG in the Construction Industry: Electrification The construction industry plays a critical role in the delivery of key initiatives in the Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”)… Read More > President Biden Signs Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence On Monday, October 30th, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in efforts to mitigate risks… Read More > Frauds of the Rich and the Famous: The Star-studded Saga of Jennifer Shah Jennifer Shah rose to fame through her appearances on the TV reality show "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."… Read More > Frauds of the Rich and Famous: The FTX Collapse and the Chrisleys “Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for… Read More > Frauds of the Rich and Famous: Billy McFarland and The Fyre Festival Who’s excited for Fyre Festival II? What’s the Fyre Festival you ask? If you missed the original Fyre Festival, here’s… Read More > Deal Me In: Close and Settle-up As a transaction advisor, one of the most difficult concepts to explain to an owner/seller is the close and settle-up… Read More > Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous Schneider Downs is proud to once again support the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as it recognizes International Fraud… Read More > Explaining the Transfer/Advance Payment of Clean Energy Credits and Energy Credits Online Registration The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued long-awaited guidance on how customers can elect to transfer New Clean Vehicle… Read More > CASE STUDIES Big Problem: PANDEMIC-FUELED TAX LIABILITIES FOR DEALERSHIPS Big Thinking: CHANGE ACCOUNTING METHODS TO ACHIEVE $600,000 IN DEFERRED TAX SAVINGS. Read More Big Problem: COMPANY IMPACTED BY RANSOMWARE. Big Thinking: RESTORE SYSTEM ON-SITE AND AVOID SIX-FIGURE RANSOM. 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Werner CPAIn today's complex business and tax environment, most companies cannot maintain the requisite level of in-house tax expertise necessary to ensure compliance in all tax disciplines and jurisdictions.Tax co-sourcing provides a strategic opportunity for companies to house those areas of the tax function that are most strategic, while outsourcing those tasks that are prohibitively resource-intensive or too expensive to complete in-house.It is all about getting the most from limited resources.  Small to large, companies have turned to co-sourcing to handle traditional Federal, state and foreign tax return preparation and tax provision calculations as well as more complex projects such as SOX tax control reviews, income tax reserve (ASC 740-10 fka. FIN 48)implementation, state and local tax consulting and audit assistance, tax provision audit support, and transactional analysis.   Let Schneider Downs help your Company leverage its current tax resources in an efficient, cost-effective manner. About Schneider Downs Tax Advisors With one of the largest regional tax practices in the country, Schneider Downs Tax Advisors’ personal focus on clients and in-depth understanding of current issues ensures that clients are complying with tax filing requirements and maximizing tax benefits. Our industry knowledge and focus ensures delivery of technical tax strategies which can be implemented as practical business initiatives. Learn more at Tax Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Single News ### Our Thoughts on single two columns Read More ### Our Thoughts Single Share with a colleague Download PDF Share You’ve heard our thoughts… We’d like to hear yours The Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On blog exists to create a dialogue on issues that are important to organizations and individuals. While we enjoy sharing our ideas and insights, we’re especially interested in what you may have to say. If you have a question or a comment about this article – or any article from the Our Thoughts On blog – we hope you’ll share it with us. After all, a dialogue is an exchange of ideas, and we’d like to hear from you. Email us at contactSD@schneiderdowns.com.Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. 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Sign Me Up ### Featured Job Section FEATURED JOB OPENINGS Third-Party Employee Benefits Administrator SDARS Pittsburgh PA The Retirement Solutions division of Schneider Downs specializes in providing comprehensive retirement planning services, including plan governance consulting, retirement plan design and implementation, recordkeeping, third-party… Learn More > Accounting Advisory Senior Audit Pittsburgh PA Schneider Downs Accounting Advisory Services practice offers a variety of technical accounting advisory services, as well as outsourced accounting and finance advisory services, for every… Learn More > Director, Digital Transformation Information Systems Pittsburgh PA The Director, Digital Transformation at Schneider Downs is a new role that has created to advance the firm’s digital capabilities. We are seeking a dynamic… Learn More > Real Estate Investment Associate SDCF Pittsburgh PA Schneider Downs Corporate Finance (SDCF), an affiliate of Schneider Downs & Co., which operates and manages a real estate investment platform that focuses on acquiring… Learn More > Business Advisory Director – Litigation Support, Forensics & Valuation Advisory Services Columbus OH Schneider Downs is searching for a dynamic Business Advisory market practice leader to join our growing Consulting practice. This individual will bring their diverse experience… Learn More > See all openings ### Simple Slider 1 Culture of Care At Schneider Downs, our culture is our identity. And it’s our culture of care that makes us unique. Even as we grow, we work hard to retain this culture to continuously promote a positive, supportive work environment through our core values: Care, Integrity, Flexibility, Respect, and Drive. We make our team members feel welcomed and at home, beginning with a robust onboarding program and continuing through formal mentoring and development programs, as well as activities created to foster camaraderie and support.  2 Flexibility Flexibility is at the core of our culture, giving you the autonomy and empowerment to thrive. Schneider Downs has embraced the hybrid work model, so you will have flexibility working from home, as well as the office. We understand the importance of balancing the needs of our clients and the development of our people with flexibility, and we believe flexibility must be a joint commitment between the firm and its employees rooted in trust, strong communication, and a commitment to excellence. 3 Growth & Development Schneider Downs is proud that we have created a unique culture through which our professionals can thrive and develop. Our firm’s history of growth and continual introduction of new services provide broad opportunities for career variety and advancement. Our leaning environment, with hands-on work from day one, will allow you to learn and grow quickly. We offer a mentorship program to help guide and support new team members in their transition to Schneider Downs. 4 Collaborative Impact Schneider Downs is a well-recognized, established, and collaborative firm in which you can impact many clients by providing value and solutions to our clients with whom you’ll build rewarding and lasting relationships. You’re not just a number here. You’ll gain national firm experience, with a regional touch, and will have the opportunity to work on wide-ranging client sizes, industries, and project complexities. 5 Total Rewards Schneider Downs’ total rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and programs to make your professional life better. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package to all full-time and eligible part-time employees, many of which are available on the first day of employment. We regularly monitor our benefits to ensure that it is best in class and the current offerings include, but are not limited to: competitive compensation; insurance, including health, dental, and vision, that begin on day one; 20+ days of paid time off and 13 paid holidays; Flex Fridays and office closures for summer and winter breaks; parental leave, family care leave, and volunteer time; 401(k) plans and profit sharing; CPA exam bonus, education assistance program, and pet insurance. 6 Community Consistent with our Mission Statement of Working Together Every Day to Make Our Firm, Clients and Communities Better, Schneider Downs is committed to giving back to our communities and providing our employees with opportunities to do so. We do this, in part, through a team of dedicated Schneider Downs personnel who comprise our “SD Cares” Committee, whose mission is to be a resource to all employees to learn about volunteer opportunities in our communities. The firm also provides PTO for approved volunteering activities. 7 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion At Schneider Downs, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to a better company, better client services and a better world. We want everyone to feel they can be themselves by sharing the wide range of perspectives they represent, thereby fostering an environment where differences are truly valued and celebrated. We are committed to our culture of care with a welcoming environment, programs and initiatives that are designed to foster a community and celebrate differences.  1 Culture of Care At Schneider Downs, our culture is our identity. And it’s our culture of care that makes us unique. Even as we grow, we work hard to retain this culture to continuously promote a positive, supportive work environment through our core values: Care, Integrity, Flexibility, Respect, and Drive. We make our team members feel welcomed and at home, beginning with a robust onboarding program and continuing through formal mentoring and development programs, as well as activities created to foster camaraderie and support.  2 Flexibility Flexibility is at the core of our culture, giving you the autonomy and empowerment to thrive. Schneider Downs has embraced the hybrid work model, so you will have flexibility working from home, as well as the office. We understand the importance of balancing the needs of our clients and the development of our people with flexibility, and we believe flexibility must be a joint commitment between the firm and its employees rooted in trust, strong communication, and a commitment to excellence. 3 Growth & Development Schneider Downs is proud that we have created a unique culture through which our professionals can thrive and develop. Our firm’s history of growth and continual introduction of new services provide broad opportunities for career variety and advancement. Our leaning environment, with hands-on work from day one, will allow you to learn and grow quickly. We offer a mentorship program to help guide and support new team members in their transition to Schneider Downs. 4 Collaborative Impact Schneider Downs is a well-recognized, established, and collaborative firm in which you can impact many clients by providing value and solutions to our clients with whom you’ll build rewarding and lasting relationships. You’re not just a number here. You’ll gain national firm experience, with a regional touch, and will have the opportunity to work on wide-ranging client sizes, industries, and project complexities. 5 Total Rewards Schneider Downs’ total rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and programs to make your professional life better. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package to all full-time and eligible part-time employees, many of which are available on the first day of employment. We regularly monitor our benefits to ensure that it is best in class and the current offerings include, but are not limited to: competitive compensation; insurance, including health, dental, and vision, that begin on day one; 20+ days of paid time off and 13 paid holidays; Flex Fridays and office closures for summer and winter breaks; parental leave, family care leave, and volunteer time; 401(k) plans and profit sharing; CPA exam bonus, education assistance program, and pet insurance. 6 Community Consistent with our Mission Statement of Working Together Every Day to Make Our Firm, Clients and Communities Better, Schneider Downs is committed to giving back to our communities and providing our employees with opportunities to do so. We do this, in part, through a team of dedicated Schneider Downs personnel who comprise our "SD Cares" Committee, whose mission is to be a resource to all employees to learn about volunteer opportunities in our communities. The firm also provides PTO for approved volunteering activities. 7 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion At Schneider Downs, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to a better company, better client services and a better world. We want everyone to feel they can be themselves by sharing the wide range of perspectives they represent, thereby fostering an environment where differences are truly valued and celebrated. We are committed to our culture of care with a welcoming environment, programs and initiatives that are designed to foster a community and celebrate differences.  ### Single Private Client Services Want to stay informed? Let us do the heavy lifting. SIGN UP HERE ### Gray Section With A Lot of Info Schneider Downs offers a unique culture where employees can pursue professional excellence while enjoying a full personal life. Although we have grown to be one of the nation's largest public accounting firms, we remain committed to supporting the important things in your life.Your quality of life is important to us, which is why we offer limited out-of-town travel and flexible work arrangements. We are committed to planning advanced work schedules so you can effectively plan your life's events and will work closely with you to ensure that your life remains in balance.Schneider Downs is dedicated to our people and focused on delivering exceptional client service. We value strong relationships, across clients, teams, the firm, and our communities, and appreciate that where we work is not anchored to one place and is focused more on outcomes.As the world shifts its thinking about work, we are embracing newly expanded options for our employees, including hybrid and remote work. We understand the importance of balancing the needs of our clients and the development of our people with employee flexibility, and we believe that flexibility must be a joint commitment between the firm and its employees rooted in trust, strong communication and a commitment to excellence.We also have shared firm, office and departmental activities to keep you connected, make you feel a part of the team and encourage the development of lasting friendships. Some of our team’s favorite events include:After work receptions and happy hoursCommunity involvement opportunitiesHoliday dinners and celebrations New hire team-building activitiesSummer picnics and social eventsFor more information about Schneider Downs Careers, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/careers or you can browse our current job openings.Questions? Contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Services Grid Item audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch. ACCOUNTING AND ASSURANCE We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held ### Services Grid OUR INTERNATIONAL SERVICES audit-assurance-servicesCreated with Sketch.ACCOUNTING AND ASSURANCEWe apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held tax-servicesCreated with Sketch.TAX SERVICESThe tax environment is constantly changing, and effective business and tax planning allows clients to take advantage of significant economic opportunities technologyCreated with Sketch.TECHNOLOGY SERVICESSchneider Downs Technology Advisors is committed to providing value added technology services and solutions to our clients business advisoryCreated with Sketch.BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICESSchneider Downs Business Advisors leverages our experience and industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk information-technologyCreated with Sketch.IT RISK ADVISORY SERVICESIn today’s global economy, risks – both operational and technology – span multiple countries and continents ### Text Block with Index 2 Culture of Care At Schneider Downs, our culture is our identity. And it’s our culture of care that makes us unique. Even as we grow, we work hard to retain this culture to continuously promote a positive, supportive work environment through our core values: Care, Integrity, Flexibility, Respect, and Drive. We make our team members feel welcomed and at home, beginning with a robust onboarding program and continuing through formal mentoring and development programs, as well as activities created to foster camaraderie and support.  ### Contact us without Logo Contact Us PITTSBURGH One PPG Place, Suite 1700 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:412.261.3644 f:412.261.4876 COLUMBUS 65 East State Street, Suite 2000 Columbus, OH 43215 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:614.621.4060 f:614.621.4062 METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON 1660 International Drive McLean, VA 22102 contactsd@schneiderdowns.com p:571.380.9003 Follow Us Facebook-square Twitter Linkedin-in Youtube Rss CLIENT PORTAL Subscribe For Updates E-mail PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit ### Sidebar Right gray Employee Benefit Plan Audit Requirement Frequently Asked Questions PRIMARY CONTACT: Patricia Giudici, CPAEmployee benefit plan audits are required for a majority of plans that are covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). With increased scrutiny on employee benefit plan audits, the Schneider Downs ERISA group has prepared a listing of Frequently Asked Questions to help parties better understand the requirements and types of benefit plan audits, including the required filings, characteristics to look for in an audit firm, and advice on preparation for an audit. What is ERISA?The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, protects the assets of employees so that funds placed in retirement plans during their working lives will be available when they retire.ERISA is a federal law that establishes certain standards for retirement plans in the private industry.  For example, ERISA specifies (1) minimum standards for employee eligibility, vesting and funding, (2) fiduciary responsibilities and standards, (3) reporting and disclosure requirements, and (4) enforcement responsibilities.  Additionally, certain parts of ERISA are coordinated with applicable tax-related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.What types of benefit plans are subject to ERISA?In general, ERISA applies to the following types of benefit plans:Pension plans sponsored by non-governmental organizations.  Pension plans include both defined benefit and defined contribution plans.  Examples of defined contributions plans include, but are not limited to, profit-sharing plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and 403(b) plan arrangements.Welfare benefit plans (insured or otherwise), providing health insurance, group life insurance, long-term disability income, severance pay, vacation benefits, training programs, daycare centers, scholarship funds, and prepaid legal servicesHealth Reimbursements Accounts (HRAs)Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)What type of retirement plan should I provide to my employees?The type of plan that an organization provides depends on a number of factors, including the size of the organization, the employer’s commitment to providing benefits, the organization’s goals and objectives, the costs of maintaining the plan, etc.Employers should work closely with knowledgeable retirement plan advisors to identify the specific retirement plan program that is appropriate for their organization and employees.What reporting and disclosure requirements are associated with a plan subject to ERISA?There are a number of different federal reporting and employee disclosure requirements associated with maintaining a benefit plan that is subject to ERISA.  While many of these requirements are consistent across all types of ERISA plans (Form 5500 reporting, for example), others depend upon a plan’s specific provisions and features.To assist plan sponsors with identifying their reporting and disclosure responsibilities, the Department of Labor has published a Reporting and Disclosure Guide for Employee Benefit Plans, which can be found at https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/reporting-and-disclosure-guide-for-employee-benefit-plans.pdfHow much can be contributed to a retirement plan?Qualified plan contributions are subject to various limitations under the Internal Revenue Code.  These limitations are updated annually by the IRS.  The following chart provides a comprehensive listing of the current contribution limits:What are the current various IRS limitations on benefits and compensation?IRS Limits20212022Compensation limit$290,000$305,000401(k) deferral limit$19,500$20,500401(k) catch-up limit$6,500$6,500Defined contribution individual limit* $58,000$61,000IRA contribution limit (49 and under)$6,000$6,000IRA contribution limit (50 and above)$7,000$7,000*Excludes catch-up limitsWho is a fiduciary and what are the general responsibilities of a fiduciary?A fiduciary is any individual who has discretionary control or authority over plan management or assets, or responsibility for plan administration or provides investment advice (or has the authority to) for compensation. Fiduciaries include, but are not limited to, plan trustees, plan administrators and members of the plan’s investment committee.Fiduciaries have important responsibilities and are subject to standards of conduct because they act on behalf of participants in a retirement plan and their beneficiaries. These responsibilities include acting solely in the interest of plan participants and their beneficiaries and with the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them; carrying out their duties prudently; following the plan documents (unless inconsistent with ERISA); diversifying plan investments; and paying only reasonable plan expenses.The duty to act prudently is one of a fiduciary’s central responsibilities under ERISA and requires expertise in a variety of areas, such as investments. While many fiduciaries will hire professionals to assist with carrying out these responsibilities, it is important to note that he/she will retain a fiduciary responsibility to monitor the chosen service providers.Who is required to file a form 5500?Form 5500 must be completed by the sponsor of any plan subject to ERISA.  When is the deadline for completing the audit of an employee benefit plan and filing Form 5500?The Form 5500 (and accompanying audit report, if required) is due seven months after the last day of the plan year (July 31 for calendar year-end plans), and can be extended for an additional 2½ months, to October 15 for calendar year-end plans.Are there employee benefit plans that are not subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and therefore don't have an annual reporting obligation?Yes. Governmental plans and church plans are exempt from Title I of ERISA as well as certain types of 403(b) plans that qualify under the safe harbor rules. You should consult with ERISA counsel if you believe your plan may be exempt from the reporting obligations of Title I. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in significant penalties being assessed to your plan.When is an audit of an employee benefit plan required?Generally, employee benefit plans with 100 or more participants (includes eligible, but not participating as well as separated employees with account balances) are considered to be “large” plans and are required to have an audit performed on an annual basis. Plans with fewer than 100 participants (“small” plans) generally do not require an audit to be performed.Are there any exceptions to these general rules?Yes, an exception to these general rules does exist. The "80-120 rule" as it is called may permit plans with more than 100 participants to be treated as a “small” plan. In instances where a plan existed in the previous year, was treated as a small plan for that year and has no more than 120 participants (as of the beginning of the plan year), it may continue to file as a small plan, and no audit will be required. There is no limit to the number of years this rule may be applied. This means a plan may have up to 120 participants for many years without having an audit requirement.However, if a new plan (no previous Form 5500 filing) has 100 or more participants (as of the beginning of the plan year), it must file as a “large” plan, and therefore, would require an audit.What are the audit requirements for a welfare benefit plan?Medical, dental, short- and long-term disability and other types of welfare benefit plans only require an audit if funded. Often, benefits from these plans are paid out of the general assets of the employer/plan sponsor, or through insurance rather than a trust.If the plan uses a trust, it will be considered a funded plan, and an audit will be required if there are 100 or more participants.What are the audit requirements for short plan years?If the plan year is seven months or less, the audit for the short plan year may be deferred until the following plan year. The plan audit for the short plan year still needs to be performed; however, the audit report is filed with the following year's Form 5500. Filing of the short plan year's Form 5500 is not deferred.If the election to defer the audit is elected and the plan participant count falls under 100 for the subsequent plan year, the plan must still meet the large plan filing requirements in that subsequent year.What is an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(c) audit?An ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit permits the plan administrator the option of not having investment information (at the plan level only) tested during the audit. In order to permit a limited scope audit, the investment information must be certified by the trustee or custodian as ‘complete and accurate.’ Certifications of completeness or accuracy, but not both, do not qualify for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit. Additionally, the certification cannot be from a broker/dealer. The certification must be from a qualified institution. Under Department of Labor (DOL) regulations a qualified institution is one that is regulated and subject to periodic examination by a state of Federal agency such as a bank, trust company, or similar institution including an insurance company. The ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit exception does not apply to any other audit areas (i.e., participant data, contributions, distributions, etc.) only to investments.Do all plans qualify to have a limited scope audit?No. 11-k audits (audits of a public company’s employee benefit plan that contains plan sponsor stock), master trust arrangements with certification only at the master level, church and governmental plans and assets held outside of a trust are not eligible for ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit audits. Additionally, plans whereby the assets are not held by a qualified institution do not qualify for an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(c) audit. What types of items do plan auditors ask for?The area of most focus in a plan audit should be on participant-related transactions and activity. This includes payroll information, deferral percentages, demographic information, distribution paperwork, claims paid (for health & welfare plans), and, most importantly, the plan document provisions. Without the plan document, an audit should not be started.Just as important as participant data is the plan’s investments. As noted above, the level of audit procedures for investments varies in an ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) audit or full scope audit. However, no matter what the scope, a plan’s financial statements must contain all disclosures required by the financial report framework (generally accepted accounting principles).What are the five most common tips for a successful employee benefit plan audit?Prepare and be proactive: Ensure that the timing of the audit is agreed upon with the audit team and ensure the audit team has provided the client assistance listing in advance of fieldwork. Suggest alternatives: If there are difficulties in fulfilling an audit request, talk to your audit team. There may be alternative reports your auditor can use to accomplish the required test. Communicate: Request regular status meetings with your audit team to discuss open items, testing exceptions, and more. Set Realistic timelines: The timeline should be agreed upon by both the plan sponsor and the audit team in advance. If the plan is going through an audit for the first time, make sure to build additional time into the schedule. Ask Questions: Audit teams welcome the opportunity to answer questions. The audit process should be an interactive process. What is the American Institute of CPAs Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC)?The EBPAQC is a voluntary membership organization for firms performing ERISA employee benefit plan audits and was established to promote the quality of employee benefit plan audits.  The EBPAQC provides members with timely communication of regulatory updates, best practices guidance, technical updates and member to member discussion forums to discuss these matters.What are the membership requirements of the American Institute of CPAs EBPAQC?Membership requirements include designating an audit partner to have firm-wide responsibility for the quality of the firm’s ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice; establishing a program to ensure that all ERISA employee benefit audit plan audit engagement personnel possess current knowledge, appropriate for their level of involvement in the engagement; establishing annual internal inspection procedures that include a review of the firms ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice; establishing policies and procedures specific to the firm's ERISA employee benefit plan audit practice to comply with the applicable professional standards and EBPAQC member requirements.   Why should I look for an audit firm that is a member of the EBPAQC?Studies by the DOL of employee benefit plan audits show a much smaller deficiency rate in firms that belong to the EBPAQC than those that do not.  Given the fiduciary responsibility of the plan sponsor to have a quality audit performed, this becomes a very significant factor to consider.What is an ERISA Fidelity Bond?An ERISA fidelity bond is a required type of insurance that protects the plan against losses caused by fraud or dishonesty.  It is different from fiduciary liability insurance (which is not required but encouraged), which insures fiduciaries against losses caused by breaches of fiduciary responsibilities.Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans ResourcesSchneider Downs ERISA Services Schneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' ArticlesSchneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan ServicesAbout Schneider Downs ERISAThe Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that include both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans page or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. VIEW PDF VERSION PDF Version CONTACT US "*" indicates required fields Name Company Email Phone NumberComment/QuestionHow would you like us to contact you?* Email? Phone? How did you find us?How did you find us?GoogleYahooBingReferral SourceOtherSchneider Downs ProfessionalDirect MailWord of MouthEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### SOC Single SOC Reports Overview PRIMARY CONTACT: Eric M. Wright CPA, CITPSystem and Organization Controls (SOC) reports (formerly SSAE 16, SAS 70 report) are examinations provided by CPAs in connection with system-level controls of a service organization or entity-level controls at other organizations.Business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially as it relates to financial and personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) of customers. Organizations also continue to face pressure from regulators and customers to demonstrate that adequate controls are in place with respect to the processing of transactions and internal controls over financial reporting. Government regulations, including Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) stress the need for effective internal controls. System and Organization Controls (SOC) examinations provide management with assurance regarding the effectiveness of an organization’s internal controls, while also providing insights for opportunities to improve internal controls and risk mitigation activities.  Further, standard contracts typically require organizations to attest to the effectiveness of their internal controls. Obtaining a SOC report has become increasingly relevant for organizations of all sizes, as the resulting report can be provided to customers and prospective customers to demonstrate that effective internal controls and related safeguards have been implemented. Ensuring the company has robust internal controls and policies and practices in place is essential. In fact, many may expect to see a SOC report before doing business with a company. This examination (often referred to as a “SOC audit”) verifies that the controls, processes and procedures have been tested and indicates whether controls are effective. Some organizations may desire a SOC 1 examination, while others will obtain more value from a SOC 2 or SOC 3 report. Whatever the desired level of assurance, it’s important to work with an experienced provider to drive the process.Schneider Downs provides SOC examinations nationally to over 100 clients annually in a variety of industries. Our dedicated group of professionals spend the majority of their time providing services related to the evaluation, optimization and testing of internal controls and control environments in support of SOC reports, internal audit co-sourcing or outsourcing, Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404, and several other RAS practice offerings.Learn more about our practice at SOC.SOC ServicesSOC 1 ExaminationsSOC 2 ExaminationsSOC 3 ExaminationsSOC for CybersecuritySOC for Supply ChainSOC ResourcesSchneider Downs SOC Report BrochureSchneider Downs SOC Reports OverviewTake Our free SOC Assessment QuizSchneider Downs SOC FAQsSchneider Downs SOC Case StudiesSchneider Downs SOC ‘Our Thoughts On’ ArticlesAICPA's SOC Report CenterAbout Schneider Downs SOC ServicesSchneider Downs employs a unique approach to SOC reports, integrating the expertise of information technology, internal audit and external audit professionals. By combining cross-disciplinary knowledge and project management expertise, we are able to effectively deliver on our clients' expectations. If you are interested in learning how we can assist your organization, please contact us to get started and learn more about our practice at SOC. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION NEED A SYSTEM ANDORGANIZATION CONTROLS (SOC) REPORT?TAKE A FREE ASSESSMENT QUIZ Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Divider Extended ### Our Thoughts dark carousel Our Thoughts On Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? Our Thoughts On Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? BY Derek J Godwin 12.21.2023 Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Our Thoughts On Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Cybersecurity, IT Risk Advisory BY Alicia Furlan 12.07.2023 Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Our Thoughts On Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios 401(k) Plans, Wealth Management BY Schneider Downs Professional 12.07.2023 Holiday Spending and Budgeting Our Thoughts On Holiday Spending and Budgeting Wealth Management BY Courtney Moriarty 12.07.2023 ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS Our Thoughts On ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS ESG BY Matt Hartman 12.06.2023 ### Dark Carousel ### Our Thoughts Black & Orange Our Thoughts On ### Service Single Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans PRIMARY CONTACT:Patricia Giudici, CPAWe apply the experience of more than 60 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of employee benefit plans.Our diverse Employee Benefit Plan practice dictates that we perform audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards for compliance with the Department of Labor's (DOL) Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) for:Defined contribution plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans, profit sharing plans and 11-K filingsDefined benefit plans, including pension plans and cash balance plansHealth and welfare plansEmployee stock ownership plansWe have been a member of the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC) since its inception. As a member of the EBPAQC, we are required to have a designated ERISA partner, quality control process, annual internal inspections of employee benefit plans and a public peer review report. Additionally, we have a firm-wide employee benefit plan training program, providing specialized training to all professional staff within the firm to stay current on ERISA, DOL, and Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations.We are committed to superior quality and responsive and efficient service. Our expertise in serving employee benefit plans enables us to provide timely, well-researched answers to your most important questions and to accurately address your needs with a solid foundation of knowledge that only experience can provide. We focus on understanding the technical aspects of the plans, and we combine this focus with the judgement and extensive experience of our professionals in auditing employee benefit plans.We are members of the Center for Public Company Audit Firms and the Private Companies Practice Section of the AICPA's Division of Firms, which requires mandatory continuing education for all members of the professional staff and a triennial peer review of a firm's quality control system in its practice of public accounting.We are registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, committing the firm to the highest standards of the profession and enabling us to deliver audit services to SEC registrants.Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans ResourcesSchneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan ServicesSchneider Downs FAQ - Employee Benefit Plan Audit RequirementSchneider Downs ERISA Employee Benefit Plan Services BrochureSchneider Downs ERISA 'Our Thoughts On' ArticlesEmployee Benefit Plan ResourcesAbout Schneider Downs ERISAThe Schneider Downs ERISA audit practice consists of a service model that is not limited to attest services, but includes providing support and oversight to clients, year-round access to experts, annual education seminars for clients that includes both regulatory and accounting updates, and more.  For more information, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance ServicesSchneider Downs provides a variety of specialized services to assist our clients with all of their audit and assurance needs. We apply the experience of more than 50 years in practice to the audit and assurance needs of public and privately held businesses across a wide range of industries, not-for-profit organizations and employee benefit plans. Learn more about our Audit and Assurance Services at Audit Assurance Services. Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Company Impacted By Ransomware. Big Thinking: Restore System On-site And Avoid Six-figure Ransom. Read Case Study Big Problem: Inefficient Tax Credit Realization. Big Thinking: Identified A $900,000 Tax Credit, Nearly Twice As Much As Prior Years. Read Case Study ### Hero with heading only Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans ### Case Studies Two columns Learn how we’ve Solved Big Problems For our clients View more Big Problem: Redundant Back Office Functions. Big Thinking: Back Office Consolidation Project Saves $600,000 Annually. Read Case Study Big Problem: New Accounting Methods For Significant Refunds. Big Thinking: Seven Figure Tax Savings. Read Case Study ### Our Thoughts On slider OUR THOUGHTS ON Research and Development Tax Credits - Are You Claiming Yours? Manufacturers whose activities consist of the development of new or improved business products or processes may be eligible for federal… Read More > Postcard from the 2023 ISACA Pittsburgh Information Security Awareness Day Since our dedicated IT Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity professionals are so heavily involved with ISACA, I jumped at the opportunity… Read More > Achieve Financial Freedom with the Help of Basic Financial Ratios Having financial freedom means doing the things you want to do when you want to do them without having to… Read More > Holiday Spending and Budgeting Even though the holiday season is something most of us look forward to, it has a way of sneaking up… Read More > ESMA produces Final Report on SFDR RTS On December 4th, 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) produced its final regulatory technical standards (RTS) regarding the… Read More > ### Feature Boxes Item Description Learn More Item Description Learn More Item Description Learn More ### Hero with content in the middle Our Services Schneider Downs provides more than 80 distinct services to clients of nearly any background: large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held companies, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities, service firms and professional associations. 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Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer risk advisory, transaction advisory, digital consulting, wealth management, retirement plan solutions and investment banking services. Schneider Downs serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), metropolitan Washington (DC) and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, and McLean, VA.© 2024 Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Maryland license number 35239. ### Main header Make A Payment Client Portal " data-hide-for="large"> Loading... 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Services Audit and Assurance Services Overview Accounting Advisory Services Audit and Assurance Services for Employee Benefit Plans Overview Services Employee Benefit Plan Resources ERISA Frequently Asked Questions International Assurance Services Public Companies Assurance Services SOC Services Overview SOC 1 SOC 2 SOC 3 SOC for Cybersecurity SOC for Vendor Supply Chains SOC Report FAQs Case Studies Consulting Services Overview Business Advisory Overview Transaction Advisory Services Forensics and Litigation Overview Business Interruption Services Fiduciary and Trustee Professional Services Forensic & Investigative Accounting Fraud Risk Assessment Fraud Mitigation Services Fraud Diagnostics Litigation Support Services Valuation Services Managed Accounting Services Overview Controller Services CFO Services Full Accounting Services Business Restructuring Overview Turnaround/Restructuring Debt Placement Insolvency Services Performance Improvement Services for Private Equity Firms Meet Our Team Risk Advisory Services Overview Internal Audit Solutions Overview Data Analytics for Internal Audit Internal Audit Quality Assurance Reviews Internal Audit Sourcing Risk Management and Compliance Services Overview Enterprise Risk Management Fraud Risk Assessment Environmental, Social and Governance Consulting Overview ESG FAQs SOX Readiness, Optimization and Program Sourcing Third-Party Risk Management Overview Ad-Hoc Review Capabilities and Maturity Assessment External Assessor Program Implementation and Development Program Support Services TPRM Officer-as-a-Service Training, Education, and Awareness Information Technology Advisory Overview Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Cybersecurity Data Privacy and Security IT General Controls Audit IT Risk Advisory Process Improvement Consulting Overview Accounting Optimization Assessments Business Process Optimization Data Analytics (ADAPT) Cybersecurity IT Risk Advisory All Services Private Client Services Overview Why Schneider Downs Private Client Services? Service Offerings Overview Tax and Personal Financial Services Estate, Trust and Succession Planning Private Family Office Philanthropy Wealth Management Meet Our Private Client Services Team Insights Contact Us Retirement Solutions Overview Advisory Services Consulting ESOP Services Recordkeeping Third-Party Administration Services Executive Compensation Retirement Plan Fiduciary Risk Assessment Schneider Downs Capital SD Digital Solutions SD Digital Solutions Home Intelligent Automation Data Analytics and Power BI Digital Modernization Software Solutions Software Solutions Home Microsoft Dynamics ERP Microsoft Dynamics Legacy Users simpLEASE Accounting SD inSITE Solver Extended Financial Planning & Analysis Custom Development Meet The Team Tax Services Overview Tax About Us Tax Compliance and Consulting Business Tax Individual Tax Not-for-profit Tax Gift, Trust and Estate Services Managed Tax Services Overview Outsourcing/On-Call Assistance Income Tax Provisions – ASC 740 and IFRS Tax Advisory Services – State and Local Taxes (SALT) Overview Abandoned/Unclaimed Property Excise & Motor Fuels Multistate Income, Franchise and Gross Receipts Tax Property Tax Sales/Use Tax Sales and Use Tax Compliance Advice and Services State Credits and Incentives Tax Advisory Services – International Overview Expatriate Tax Export Incentives FATCA and Nonresident Withholding Foreign Direct Investments in the U.S. Inbound and Outbound Entity Structuring International Tax Reporting and Planning International Withholding Tax Transfer Pricing and Review of Cross-border Transactions Tax Credits and Incentives Overview Research & Development Cost Segregation PA Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) State Credits and Incentives Tax Transaction Advisory Overview Due Diligence Transaction Cost Analysis Tax All Services Wealth Management Overview Ultra High Net Worth Investors High Net Worth Investors Voyage Program Financial Planning Institutions and Non-Profits View all services Industries Overview Automotive Construction Emerging Technology Energy & Resources Financial Government Healthcare Higher Education International Manufacturing Not-for-Profit Private Equity Firm Services Professional Services Real Estate Retail & Business-to-Consumer Transportation & Logistics Resources Resource Center Our Thoughts On Blog Events Subscribe About Us Overview Big Thinking Personal Focus Around the World Case Studies Diversity History Management Mission and Corporate Values News Peer Review PrimeGlobal SD Standard Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) Locations Pittsburgh, PA Columbus, OH Metropolitan Washington Careers Client Portal Group 3Created with Sketch. Make a Payment Close Open Search Submit Contact us ### Default Kit ## Locations ### Metropolitan Washington Metropolitan Washington As a CPA firm in Washington DC, Schneider Downs is proud that we’ve built a client list of powerful Fortune 500 companies, well-established regional businesses, not-for-profits and exciting start-ups. But we are even prouder that we have never lost focus on what is really important: the personal connections we make with every one of our clients. We provide them national and international-level expertise, while volunteering in the neighborhoods they live in. We know what matters to their businesses, and we care deeply about what happens in their lives. Big Thinking. Personal Focus. This is what has made us who we are today, and this is what will guide our purpose and actions in the future. The City of Washington DC is the world’s destination. Home of all three branches of the federal government, international organizations and some of the nation’s largest companies, the city naturally draws people from across the globe. The federal government is responsible for attracting organizations such as law firms, professional associations and nonprofits, as well as nearly 200 international organizations and embassies. 25% of the city’s employees also work for federal governmental agencies. However, the federal government isn’t fully responsible for the enormous spike in the city’s daytime population during the workweek. The city’s diversified economy is growing, especially in industries such as finance, education, research and public policy. In fact, according to the 2021 Global Financial Centre’s Index, the city’s financial district scored fourth most competitive in the country and 14th most competitive in the world. Tourism is, of course, one of the strongest industries in a city that houses some of the country’s most impressive historical monuments. As the world’s destination, it’s no surprise that Washington DC is one of the most visited cities in the United States. Washington DC CPA Firm - Services International Tax Services SOC 1 Certification SOC 2 Certification ### Columbus, OH Columbus As a CPA firm in Columbus, OH, Schneider Downs is proud that we’ve built a client list of powerful Fortune 500 companies, well-established regional businesses, not-for-profits and exciting start-ups. But we are even prouder that we have never lost focus on what is really important: the personal connections we make with every one of our clients. We provide them national and international-level expertise, while volunteering in the neighborhoods they live in. We know what matters to their businesses, and we care deeply about what happens in their lives. Big Thinking. Personal Focus. This is what has made us who we are today, and this is what will guide our purpose and actions in the future. There’s something for everyone in the City of Columbus. As the most populous city in the state, Columbus is home to a diversity of activities and opportunities. The over 900,000 residents of Ohio’s state capital could be university students, sports enthusiasts, avid foodies or adventure-seekers, drawn to the city because of its strong sports scene, its local breweries and pubs or even by one of the largest state festivals in the nation. As diverse as Columbus’ cultural scene is its economy, which is based in a wide range of industries, including education, banking, defense, insurance, aviation, logistics, steel, apparel, medical research, health care, hospitality, technology, retail and more. The world’s largest private research and development foundation is housed in the city’s metro area, which is also home to the headquarters of five Fortune 500 companies. The city’s wealth of opportunities and options create a monumental amount of freedom and flexibility for any resident or visitor looking to settle down or explore. ### Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh As a CPA firm in Pittsburgh, PA, Schneider Downs is proud that we’ve built a client list of powerful Fortune 500 companies, well-established regional businesses, not-for-profits and exciting start-ups. But we are even prouder that we have never lost focus on what is really important: the personal connections we make with every one of our clients. We provide them national and international-level expertise, while volunteering in the neighborhoods they live in. We know what matters to their businesses, and we care deeply about what happens in their lives. Big Thinking. Personal Focus. This is what has made us who we are today, and this is what will guide our purpose and actions in the future. The City of Pittsburgh is known for its tough, unrelenting spirit. Considered a paradigm of managing industrial transition in the mid-20th century, “the Steel City,” remade itself from a powerhouse of industry to a hub of healthcare, education and tech. The second-most populous city in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh provides a multitude of opportunities for its over 300,000 residents. The city boasts prominent museums, multiple research centers and a thriving cultural district, and it has defended its place in the top three “most livable cities” for several years. Besides appreciating overall livability, however, Pittsburgh residents can also enjoy living alongside large medical providers, more than 29 colleges and universities, 1600 technology firms, seven Fortune 500 companies and several top U.S. law firms, which all mark Pittsburgh as a top destination for job growth and employment. Despite a changed economic base, the city’s industrial heritage runs deep, and many of these modern businesses find their homes in renovated factories. This marriage of the old and the new is distinctly “Pittsburgh,” where the same grit and determination that marked its industrial past have ultimately fueled its transformation and continued growth. ## Our Thoughts On ### Raising the Bar: FDICIA Thresholds Redefined The FDIC’s newly approved amendments to 12 CFR Part 363 will significantly reshape internal control and audit requirements for financial institutions as key asset thresholds rise on January 1, 2026. On November 25, 2025, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) approved amendments to 12 CFR Part 363, which implements Section 112 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (FDICIA). Effective January 1, 2026, the asset-size threshold for internal control and audit requirements will increase from $1 billion to $5 billion. This change revises key regulatory thresholds that govern audit and reporting obligations for financial institutions. Under the new rules, if an insured depository institution does not meet the updated thresholds on January 1, 2026, it will not need to comply with the Part 363 requirements in place on December 31, 2025. What Are the Final FDICIA Rule Updates? Independent External Financial Statement Audit: Financial institutions with assets exceeding $1 billion are required to complete this process. Previously, the threshold applied to institutions with assets greater than $500 million. Independent External Testing of FDICIA Controls: Financial institutions with assets exceeding $5 billion are required to complete this process. Previously, the threshold applied to institutions with assets greater than $1 billion. Management Attestation of Effectiveness of FDICIA Controls: Financial institutions with assets exceeding $1 billion are required to complete this process. Previously, the threshold applied to institutions with assets greater than $500 million. The updates outlined above were implemented to ease the compliance burdens associated with FDICIA testing. These changes are intended to benefit small and mid-sized financial institutions, as reporting requirements can be costly and burdensome for community banks, and small rural banks often face challenges meeting audit committee composition requirements. How Should Institutions Act? Based on the new thresholds, management can focus more on what is most important when reviewing the scope of internal controls. However, institutions with over $1 billion in current or projected assets must still attest to the effectiveness of internal controls under the new rule. While there is greater flexibility associated with internally managing the timing and scope of controls, maintaining strong internal controls remains essential to ensure the safety and soundness of each financial institution. The Importance of Continued Internal Control Testing Risk Is Present Regardless Of Size: Internal control testing serves as a critical safeguard for financial institutions, helping to identify potential fraud, errors, and operational deficiencies. Institutions with asset sizes between $1 billion and $5 billion are required to formally attest to the effectiveness of their internal controls. This attestation must be supported by a reasonable basis, which is established through ongoing internal monitoring, documentation, and evaluation of control processes. Governance Expectations Remain: Regulatory agencies such as the FDIC, OCC, and Federal Reserve continue to emphasize the importance of strong governance and sound risk management practices. Deficiencies in internal controls can result in supervisory findings, enforcement actions, and significant reputational harm. Stakeholders, including shareholders, customers, and counterparties, depend on accurate and reliable financial reporting to maintain confidence in the institution. Ongoing testing and monitoring of controls demonstrates organizational discipline, reinforces transparency, and signals a commitment to regulatory compliance and stakeholder trust Preparation For Continued Growth: As financial institutions expand, the continued execution of control testing and the implementation of strong governance frameworks are essential to ensuring sustainable success. Effective internal controls not only mitigate costly errors but enhance audit readiness and streamline operational processes. Investments in robust internal controls and governance structures should be regarded not as sunk costs, but as strategic assets, strengthening institutional resilience, reinforcing regulatory confidence, and enabling long-term agility in an evolving financial landscape. How Can Schneider Down Help? While regulatory relief might reduce the burden of mandatory internal control testing, our role is to ensure your organization continues to operate with discipline, transparency, and resilience. At Schneider Downs, we deliver strategic advisory solutions that enable institutions to evaluate their internal control frameworks, optimize compliance practices, and align governance structures with sustainable long-term growth. For more information, contact our risk advisory team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. ### November 2025 Market Recap A late-session rally on the final trading day of the month lifted the S&P 500 to a modest 0.2% gain in November, marking its seventh straight monthly increase and continuing its long trend of positive Novembers for the past 15 years. The only negative November since 2011 was in 2021. Early in the month, equity markets were pressured by a record-long government shutdown, increased concerns of an AI-driven bubble, and stretched valuations in mega-cap technology stocks. However, sentiment shifted dramatically in the final week as expectations for a December rate cut strengthened, fueling the market’s recovery. U.S. Small Caps, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, outperformed their larger cap counterparts as these more interest rate-sensitive companies reacted positively to the sentiment of a December rate cut. “Reversal” defined November’s performance: leaders over the prior 12 months lagged, while many former underperformers moved to the top of the leaderboard. Technology and Consumer Discretionary, two of the best-performing sectors over the past year, were among the worst in November. Meanwhile, Materials and Health Care, previously lagging, ranked among the month’s sector leaders. The one sector that defied reversal was Communication Services. It was the only sector to deliver strong returns in both periods, driven by Alphabet’s (Google) sharp rally following the launch of its Gemini 3 AI model. Similarly, growth has outperformed value for the year, yet value beat growth last month. In fact, the Russell 1000 Value index led the Russell 1000 Growth index by 4.5% in November, the 6th widest monthly value outperformance in 23 years. International equities took the month to breathe, generating a flat return for November, keeping year-to-date returns just under 30% for 2025. Emerging Markets on the other hand took a step back after a strong 2025, losing -2.25% for November and bringing their 2025 return to 28.6%. Despite trading flat to slightly positive since the end of June, the U.S. Dollar is still one of the most significant cross-asset return drivers for 2025. Being the main driver of international equity returns in the first half of the year, it has taken a back seat in the second half of 2025. International equities continue to remain attractive relative to other asset classes as valuations remain more grounded, dividend yields are still attractive on a relative basis, and the U.S. Dollar continues to remain a potential future tailwind. As deglobalization continues to be a megatrend in 2025 and looking forward, international ex-U.S. companies continue to be beneficiaries of the reshoring being done to sharpen up supply chains. November was a month of stability and strength for the bond market as the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield traded within a tight range (high of 4.16%, low of 3.99%), ultimately closing at 4.02% - a slight decrease from 4.10% at the end of October. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index returned 0.6% in November. Year-to-date, the index is up almost 7.5%, positioning it for its strongest annual gain since 2019, when it achieved a 10.8% return. With only 1 month left to go in 2025, bonds are poised to finish out the year as a strong allocation for diversified portfolios. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### Innovation Transformation: The Ongoing Journey Toward Audit Process Improvement The latest in an ongoing series on the Schneider Downs Audit Practice’s commitment to innovation transformation. As our firm approaches its 70th anniversary as a leading public accounting firm, Schneider Downs has a long history of commitment to continuously improve business processes to help our clients – and our firm – be better. Standing still means falling behind, and we’re proud of our long-standing dedication to always seeing new and better ways to get things done. As Senior Manager of Transformation and Innovation at Schneider Downs, I have a front-row seat to see this commitment first hand. It’s been exciting to be part of the ongoing process of using innovative technology to improve our audit procedures. Our Latest Innovations My involvement with audit innovation began in 2021, when I became Manager of Innovation and Transformation. At that time, Schneider Downs committed resources to advancing audit technology, and I was tasked with leading the dynamic audit solution (DAS) project—a major initiative to introduce advanced data analytics and new software into our practice. To launch the initiative, we brought together a Task Team from the audit team, taking care to include a variety of professional levels, as well as different perspectives in the process. Collectively, we evaluated options for our next audit technology and methodology. Over the course of Summer 2024, we evaluated four vendors, using demos and a detailed scorecard process to guide our decision. This process gave us a broad perspective for moving forward. Today, we’ve entered into full deployment of the Caseware suite of products into our client service model. Navigating Change and Gathering Feedback Change management has been one of the biggest challenges. Transitioning from established methods to new workflows required feedback from the audit department—questions about how the new software fits with our processes, and - sometimes - resistance to change. The blessings of a continual commitment to change is that trying new things becomes normal, and thus less intimidating. Training has been crucial. We recently trained new hires, and I was impressed by their questions and enthusiasm for the new software. Often, the best feedback and feature requests come from staff at this level, and we make sure to share those with the software developers. As our newest hires continue their professional development, these new processes will become the baseline upon which we continue to add new innovations. Surprises and Client Impact Of course, change isn’t just new to our professionals, but to our clients as well. The client reaction was surprising and enlightening. We expected clients to notice changes in deliverables or question new formats, but most didn’t realize we’d switched software. Some teams reported that, unless we told clients about the change, they wouldn’t have known—showing how smooth the transition was. Instead, the difference is in final product and service delivery. (We’ll share more client perspectives in an upcoming article in our Innovation Transformation series.) Evolving into a Subject Matter Expert I’ve enjoyed my personal journey as a member of the leadership team for this transformation. My nearly five years in client service prepared me for this role. I became the firm’s internal software expert, spending over two years as product owner on the DAS project with AICPA and CaseWare. This gave me firsthand experience with the software’s evolution, from early releases to the improved version we use today. My position is dedicated solely to this transformation, and I feel empowered to serve Schneider Downs as an agent of cahnge. I focus on ensuring our audit innovation succeeds, serving as the main contact for technical questions, implementation challenges, and communication with development teams. Looking to the Future Audit innovation is an ongoing journey. By automating the upfront work, we’re focused on using data analytics not just for historical analysis, but also to provide forward-looking insights for clients. Our staff is engaged and can ask more in-depth, industry-specific questions, which benefits their development, strengthens client relationships, and improves our final product. We’re spending more time on what matters most and adding value, which is why our clients selected Schneider Downs in the first place. We’re always searching for new tools to help us achieve this, and I’m excited about the possibilities ahead. I’ll be sure to keep you updated. Discover how our innovative approach can transform your audit experience—reach out to our team to learn more. ### OMB Releases 2025 Compliance Supplement The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has officially released the 2025 Compliance Supplement. This is after a draft was released in the fall to facilitate planning of these audits but prohibited final issuance until the final supplement was released. This annual publication is a critical resource for auditors and entities that receive federal funds. It provides detailed guidance for conducting Single Audits and ensuring compliance with federal regulations. The 2025 OMB Compliance Supplement is effective for Single Audits of fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2024. This means if your organization’s fiscal year started on July 1, 2024, or later, auditors will use the 2025 Supplement for compliance testing. The 2025 OMB Compliance Supplement was released much later than usual, arriving in late November, instead of its typical release date in spring or early summer. This delay was largely due to the extensive updates required to incorporate the revised Uniform Guidance, which became effective on October 1, 2024. OMB also needed additional time to integrate new programs and compliance requirements following significant federal funding changes and to ensure consistency across multiple agencies. Even with the delayed release of the 2025 Compliance Supplement, the Uniform Guidance outlines strict reporting requirements for Single Audits. Audit reports must be submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within the earlier of 30 days after receipt of the auditor’s report or nine months after the end of the audit period. OMB has stated that extensions for submitting Single Audit reports are not automatic and must be formally requested. Organizations that need additional time should submit their request to their cognizant or oversight agency for audit, rather than to OMB. You can find a contact listing for the various cognizant agency contacts here. The request should clearly state the reason for the delay and specify the length of the extension being sought. Agencies have discretion to approve or deny these requests, and approval is generally based on whether the circumstances are valid and do not compromise federal oversight. OMB encourages agencies to consider granting extensions in extraordinary situations, such as significant changes in federal requirements or events beyond the entity’s control. Even when an extension is approved, entities are expected to complete their audits as quickly as possible. What's New in 2025? The 2025 Compliance Supplement introduces several significant changes that are designed to streamline compliance and strengthen accountability. First, the 2025 Compliance Supplement now includes a dual compliance framework. There are two separate compliance sections: Part 3.1 applies to awards under the Uniform Guidance issued before October 2024, and Part 3.2 applies to awards under the revised Uniform Guidance that became effective on October 1, 2024. Auditees must determine which section applies based on the award date, which adds complexity but ensures alignment with updated regulations. Second, the Single Audit threshold has increased from $750,000 to $1,000,000 for federal expenditures of awards issued after October 1, 2024. This change is intended to reduce the audit burden for smaller entities. Organizations with fiscal years ending on or after September 30, 2025, will be the first to take advantage of the higher audit threshold. Third, compliance requirements have been expanded. Updates include stricter procurement standards, enhanced subrecipient monitoring and new reporting elements that align with federal systems. Fourth, the supplement places greater emphasis on internal controls. Entities must now demonstrate that internal controls are not only properly designed but also operating effectively across areas such as cash management, eligibility determinations and performance metrics. This trend on increased focus on internal control has been occurring for the past few releases. Fifth, there are program-specific changes. New programs have been added, including the Summer EBT for Children program from the USDA, the Title IV-E Prevention Program from HHS, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund from the EPA. COVID-19 programs have largely been phased out. There have been updates to major clusters such as Student Financial Assistance, Medicaid and Housing programs. Finally, the supplement introduces a terminology shift. The term “non-federal entity” has been replaced with “recipient” and “subrecipient,” which reflects clearer accountability across funding chains. As always, it is important for organizations that receive federal funding to be familiar with all of these changes to ensure that you are remaining compliant with all of the applicable laws and regulations. How Can I Access the 2025 OMB Compliance Supplement? The full document, which spans more than 2,200 pages, is available on the OMB website. You can also find a summary of the significant changes in Part 8 – Appendices beginning on 8-V-1 to help you quickly digest changes to any programs your organization participates in. About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met. To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page. ### 3 Questions Emerging Technology Companies Need to Ask About SOC Reports In today’s competitive and data-driven business environment, trust is a currency that emerging technology companies cannot afford to overlook. As organizations increasingly rely on third-party vendors and cloud-based services, demonstrating a commitment to data integrity and operational transparency becomes essential. A System and Organization Controls (SOC) report offers a powerful way to build that trust by providing independent validation of your internal controls and processes. Whether you're a startup aiming to win enterprise clients or a scaling company navigating regulatory landscapes, understanding the value of a SOC report is key to unlocking growth and credibility. What is a SOC report? Your clients and prospects want assurance that their data and transactions are handled with integrity. A SOC report provides the transparency and trust needed to demonstrate your commitment to strong controls and processes. In a SOC report, auditors trained in IT, financial and operational controls evaluate your systems and process by inspecting evidence and documentation to verify controls are in place. The auditors produce a formal report that can be shared with clients, prospects, regulators and other interested parties about their procedures and results of testing. How Can a SOC 2 Help a Startup? Startups are often trying to sell services to larger organizations. These types of organizations often have Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) programs that work alongside their procurement functions and require them to perform due diligence of their own vendors, particularly if the vendor can access what the organization considers sensitive data. As part of the sales cycle an organization may ask you to provide a SOC report to demonstrate you have appropriate processes to protect their data. A SOC report completed by an independent third-party provides your customers and prospects assurance that you are doing the right things. It also provides your company with assurance that there are no gaps in the internal controls tested by the auditor. How Do I Review a SOC Report Provided by a Vendor? If you use a cloud hosting provider like AWS, Azure or GCP or other vendors to support key operations you will need to complete due diligence activities over the vendor to make sure they maintain an appropriate internal control environment to protect your data and ensure continuity of services. Typically, a SOC report is used to facilitate this process. SOC reports have a certain format that can ease the review process but require some background. If your company has your own SOC report, your auditors will ask for evidence of your review. View our SOC Review Report Template About Schneider Downs Emerging Technology Services Schneider Downs understands the ever-changing landscape and business challenges facing companies focused on emerging technologies and software. Our clients represent a wide range of organizations, from emerging growth companies to large mature companies, and we are well-versed in the unique challenges they face. Our team of seasoned professionals has experience working with emerging technology companies in all phases of their evolution. To learn more, visit our Emerging Technology page. ### Top Month-End Closing Tips for Dealership Accounting Teams One of the most critical processes for dealership accounting teams is month-end closing. A smooth close requires structure, discipline and proactive communication across departments. By implementing clear cutoffs, assigning responsibilities and maintaining rigorous review standards, dealerships can avoid costly errors and ensure that financial statements reflect true performance. Below are 9 practical steps to streamline your month-end close and build confidence in your reporting. Establish Hard Cutoffs To ensure a smooth month-end close, establish a hard cutoff for vehicle deals and have sales management review and approve all deals before sending them to accounting. Instruct parts and service teams to close as many R.O.’s and parts slips as possible, review open RO lists and voided document reports and provide  the WIP report. Finally, confirm that all payables, parts statements, third-party transactions and credit card activity have been  posted accurately to maintain clean financial records. Review Schedules and Reconciliations Assign responsibilities for each reconciliation and schedule review to specific team members and establish a timeline to keep the process on track. All schedules should be submitted to the controller for final review promptly after the deal posting cutoff (second day of the month in a perfect world), and bank and credit card accounts must be fully reconciled monthly by someone that has no cash handling responsibilities. Accrue Payroll and Bonuses Payroll should be accrued to coincide with the month end date and bonus calculations should be verified by an independent employee to prevent costly errors. Typically, department managers handle bonus calculations while accounting verifies them (or vice versa). It’s important that both employees involved in bonus calculations have access to the underlying pay plans.  The reviewer isn’t simply testing the mathematical calculations.  Before processing payroll, submit the payroll ledger to the dealer or designated representative for approval. Calculate Statistical Amounts Accuracy in statistical reporting is often overlooked during the closing process, and errors can discredit your work and distort manufacturer calculations. Simple mistakes—such as reporting 760 employees instead of 76, listing negative used vehicle inventory counts or erroneously marking all receivables as current may not impact the bottom line, but can create serious concerns for dealers and financial partners (banks, accountants, etc.). Develop Preliminary Financials and Reports The controller should  prepare (or review – depending on your office structure) preliminary financial statements  and confirm that department totals align with  expectations.  Be prepared to compare accounting results to  desk logs and parts and service management reports. Review variances with departmental managers, perform trend analysis to catch missing expenditures check the balance sheet for obvious misstatements like debit balances in credit balance accounts. Finally, assess income statement profitability for reasonableness and identify any mapping issues that could distort reporting accuracy. Prepare for Questions Most dealers are fairly predictable when it comes to their financial statement review process, so anticipating their questions is key to being prepared. If you’ve already reviewed departmental results with managers, you’ll have a clear understanding of significant events that occurred during the month and how they impact the financial statements. This proactive approach ensures confidence and accuracy during dealer reviews. Review Final Financial Statements with Dealer Controllers should not shy away from discussing financials with the dealer, as a well-managed accounting process helps minimize issues and builds trust. Use insights from departmental reviews to provide clear answers and deliver an analysis of key metrics, whether based on predetermined KPIs or significant dealership events. Submit Financial Statements Before submitting, take a final review of the financial statements to ensure accuracy and completeness. Work through any manufacturer-imposed verification process, clearing all errors, and save submission verifications for your records. Archive Month-End Reports Initiate month-end archiving as soon as possible after submitting financial statements to maintain organized records. Evaluate the documents scheduled for archiving to ensure completeness, and consider adding any relevant files. Finally, check archive reports for errors to confirm accuracy. Closing the books doesn’t have to be chaotic if sound office procedures are enforced throughout the month. These best practices not only minimize errors but also strengthen trust with dealers and stakeholders. Start implementing these strategies today to set the foundation for accurate, timely and insightful financial reporting. How Can Schneider Downs Help? If you would like support strengthening your accounting operations or considering outsourced options, our team is ready to help. We have team members with CFO and Controller backgrounds in the dealership space, giving us a practical understanding of the daily demands your team faces. To discuss these resources or learn how we can support your dealership, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Dealership Services Schneider Downs’ Dealership practice helps single-point stores and multi-location groups strengthen operations, improve profitability, and plan for long-term growth. Our cross-functional team delivers audit and assurance, tax and accounting, risk advisory and cybersecurity, digital innovation (automation, analytics, custom DMS reporting), transaction advisory, forensic accounting, reinsurance advisory, exit and succession planning, and wealth management—led by responsive senior professionals who know the dealership business. We actively contribute across NADA, AICPA dealership forums, and state associations, bringing timely insights and practical guidance to every engagement. To learn more, visit our dedicated Dealerships page. ### Investment Corner: Are We In A Bubble? – The Bubble Triangle One of the dominant themes in capital markets over the past few years has been the rise of artificial intelligence and the companies benefiting from this transformative technology. As these firms continue to outperform major indices, questions about lofty valuations, the sustainability of rapid growth, and whether we are witnessing the formation of an AI bubble have become central to market discussions. Strong earnings from leading technology companies challenge the bubble narrative, yet history reminds us that bubbles are rarely recognized until after they burst. This debate brings me back to last fall, when our team at Schneider Downs Wealth Management studied financial bubbles through the lens of William Quinn and John D. Turner’s book, Boom and Bust – A Global History of Financial Bubbles. Their framework likens bubbles to fires: just as fire requires oxygen, fuel, and heat, bubbles require three elements—marketability, money/credit, and speculation. Marketability refers to how easily an asset can be bought and sold. Money/Credit is often fueled by low interest rates and loose credit conditions. Speculation occurs when investors purchase assets primarily to sell them later at a profit, with little regard for intrinsic value. While bubbles frequently end in banking or economic crises, they can also generate positive outcomes. They can accelerate innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and channel capital into projects that might otherwise have struggled to secure funding. Many transformative technologies—from railways and bicycles to automobiles, fiber optics, and the internet—were propelled forward during bubble periods. Since 1990, major bubbles have emerged roughly every six years, including the dot-com bubble, the housing bubble, and the crypto boom. Globalization of capital and deregulation of banking have fueled this cycle, extending credit and increasing debt to unprecedented levels. Deregulation has also made trading cheaper and easier, enhancing the marketability of financial assets and amplifying speculative activity. Historically, bubbles are often sparked by technological breakthroughs or government policy shifts—patterns that resonate with today’s AI-driven environment. Whether today’s surge in AI represents the next great bubble or a lasting technological revolution remains uncertain. What is clear is that the bubble triangle—marketability, money/credit, and speculation—offers a powerful lens for evaluating the risks and opportunities shaping our financial future. About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Schneider Downs Wealth Management has been providing investment and retirement services since 2000. Although our service platforms continue to evolve, commitment to our clients remains our first priority. Our service is tailored to your individualized goals but built on the fundamental principles of our practice: fiduciary guidance, fee transparency and goal-based decision making. To learn more, visit our dedicated Wealth Management page. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### What to Do After the ERISA Deadline: Setting Up for Success Next Year The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) deadline may have passed, but for plan sponsors and fiduciaries, the work is far from over. The period immediately following the deadline is a critical time to reflect, correct, and prepare. Here’s how companies can use this window to strengthen their regulatory compliance and ensure a smoother process next year. 1. Conduct a Post-Filing Review After submitting Form 5500 and other required disclosures, plan sponsors should perform a retrospective review of the plan year. This includes: Verifying that all required notices (e.g., Summary Annual Reports, fee disclosures) were issued on time. Ensuring that participant communications were clear and documented. Reviewing any audit findings or internal inspection results for improvement opportunities. 2. Address Operational Errors Promptly If any compliance issues were discovered—such as missed contributions, incorrect participant data, or outdated plan documents—plan administrators should act quickly. The IRS’s Voluntary Correction Program (VCP) offers a structured way to correct significant failures, such as missing contributions or not properly enrolling an employee into the plan. Consulting an ERISA attorney or third-party administrator (TPA) is highly recommended to navigate these corrections. 3. Update Documentation and Plan Amendments Plan administrators should ensure that all plan amendments, Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), and Summaries of Material Modifications (SMMs) are current and accurately reflect the plan’s operations. Any changes made during the year must be documented and disclosed within the required timeframes. 4. Evaluate Internal Controls Internal control narratives for key plan processes should be regularly reviewed by plan administration to ensure they are up to date and accurately reflect the controls in place. In addition, plan management should identify areas for improvement. If applicable, Management Letter Comments (MLCs) and reportable findings should be reviewed and discussed with the audit team upon the conclusion of the audit. MLCs and reportable findings can vary in severity; however, the auditors can communicate any they believe will lead to process improvements for the plan. Each TPA will have a SOC report prepared annually identifying key controls for each process of the plan. Plan management should identify which controls are applicable to them, then review the associated Complementary User Entity Controls (CUECs) associated with each. CUECs are controls that must be performed by the plan in order for the key control of the TPA to operate effectively. 5. Plan Ahead for Next Year To avoid the 10/15 stress, rush and late-filing penalties, plan management should be in communication with their audit teams throughout the year, keeping them up to date on major plan changes that will affect the scope of the audit. Common key events include plan mergers, changes in TPAs, newly eligible employee groups and other significant changes. Allowing the auditors to get ahead of these changes will lead to a smoother audit. While meeting the ERISA deadline is a significant milestone, true success comes from what happens next. By conducting thorough post-filing reviews, promptly addressing any operational errors, keeping documentation up to date, and strengthening internal controls, plan sponsors and fiduciaries can turn compliance into an ongoing process of improvement. Proactive planning and open communication with audit teams throughout the year will not only reduce stress and risk but also set the stage for a smoother, more efficient filing season next year. For more information on how you can prepare for your next ERISA deadline, contact a member of the Schneider Downs Employee Benefit Plan team. ### 5 Holiday Season Scams to Watch for in 2025 (And How to Avoid Them) Article Summary: 5 Holiday Season Scams to Watch for in 2025 This article outlines five emerging holiday scams, from AI-powered phishing to fake government rebates, and provides practical steps to help individuals shop safely and protect sensitive data this season. AI-Driven Social Engineering: Criminals are using generative AI and deepfakes to craft convincing brand communications and impersonate family members in urgent “emergency” money requests. Delivery, QR and Rebate Cons: Fake shipping alerts, tampered QR codes and non-existent “tariff rebate” offers attempt to capture personal, financial and login information during peak shopping. Verify Before You Click or Pay: Individuals should avoid links in unsolicited messages, confirm requests through trusted channels, use official retailer and government sites, and share awareness to help others stay safe. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and peak holiday shopping season approaching, cybercriminals are preparing too. Every year brings a new wave of scams designed to steal personal data, payment information and login credentials from unsuspecting shoppers. Before you start hunting for deals, it helps to understand the top threats circulating this season, including phishing emails, fake delivery alerts, QR-based scams and false government payout claims. Below are five scams to watch for this holiday season and practical ways to avoid them. AI-Powered Phishing Attacks Phishing makes the holiday scam list every year because it still works. This season, the risk is even greater. Scammers are now using AI to create realistic emails, text messages and social posts that look like they came directly from trusted brands. Since 2023, there has been a 1,265% increase in phishing attacks linked to generative AI, which means inboxes are  flooded with convincing scams during peak shopping season. AI tools can now copy brand language, mimic logos and personalize messages, making fake holiday deals feel more real than ever. With so many “limited-time offers,” it is easy to click without thinking. Watch for low-quality logos, odd wording, typos and suspicious sender addresses like “contact@walMartz.com.” If a deal looks questionable, do not click the link. Go directly to the retailer’s website or app to confirm the offer. You can also check store flyers or mailers you already received…yes, some of us still read those. If the deal is real, you will find it elsewhere. Deepfake Family Impersonation Scams Deepfakes are becoming a dangerous holiday scam tactic. These scams work because people are busy, emotional and more willing to help a loved one without thinking twice. A deepfake is a synthetic audio or video clip created with AI to mimic someone’s voice or face. While they are often used for harmless social media filters, scammers now use them to sound like a relative who needs urgent money for a “holiday emergency.” As wild as this may sound, deepfake fraud in North America has grown more than 1,700% since 2022, and their sophistication has increased significantly as well making them harder to spot. If you receive a sudden call or message from a relative asking for money, gift cards or personal information, do not respond right away. Contact them directly through a separate number or message you already know is real. Always confirm the request with another family member. As crazy as it is, a familiar voice or face is no longer proof of identity, so treat any urgent request as suspicious until you verify it. Fake Delivery and Shipping Notifications Online shopping increases dramatically during the holidays, and scammers use this to their advantage. Fake delivery alerts, both in email and text messages, pretend to offer tracking updates and then ask you to click a link or submit personal information. In 2024, consumers lost more than $470 million to text scams, and fake delivery messages were the most common. These alerts succeed because we are expecting packages and want instant updates. On phones, warning signs are easier to miss. Fake messages often come from random numbers and include shortened links that hide the destination website. Do not click or call from the message itself. Instead, check your original order confirmation for tracking information. Visit the retailer’s website manually to track your package and call the customer service number listed on the retailer’s site, not the one in the message. QR Scams: A Growing Threat in Stores and Restaurants QR codes made a major comeback during COVID, and criminals took notice. Quishing scams use QR codes to redirect people to fake websites, download malware or steal login and financial information. During the holidays, shoppers are even more likely to scan them for coupons, menus, store apps or quick checkout options. Most QR codes are harmless, but scammers can swap real ones with fake versions on flyers, parking meters, restaurant tables, posters and checkout counters. If a code looks tampered with, has a sticker over it, or appears on a random flyer you found on the floor, think twice before scanning. Let common sense beat curiosity. Scanning an unknown QR code today is like plugging in a mystery USB you found on the ground. You know better, so skip it. If you want to redeem a coupon or download an app, search for it directly in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. That extra step can be the difference between getting a deal and getting scammed. “Tariff Rebate” Scam Claims Scammers love rumors about government payments, especially when people are hoping for extra holiday cash. Recently, false claims of a “tariff rebate” have spread online even though no official program or eligibility details exist. Do not let the promise of a little extra money make you suspend belief. Until the government confirms it, treat it like any other too-good-to-be-true offer. Any message about a tariff rebate right now is a scam. Fraudsters are sending calls, emails and texts asking you to “verify your identity” to get a refund. Do not share personal or financial information. Until the federal government publishes official details on irs.gov or home.treasury.gov, assume all tariff rebate messages are fake. Report them and delete them immediately. Keep Each Other Safe This Season The best way to stay ahead of scammers is to look out for each other. If this article helps you, please share it with friends, family and your network so they can shop smarter and stay a little more secure this season. A little awareness goes a long way and helps everyone enjoy a safer, stress-free holiday, or at least as stress-free as the holidays can be.  About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. ### Penalty Relief for Employer Reporting of Qualified Overtime and Tips Article Summary: IRS Penalty Relief for 2025 Tip/Overtime Reporting The IRS issued Notice 2025-62, designating 2025 as a transition year for new reporting requirements for Qualified Tips (§224) and Qualified Overtime (§225) deductions. No Penalties in 2025: Employers are exempt from penalties for failing to separately report qualified tips, occupation, or overtime compensation on tax forms for the 2025 tax year. Forms Unchanged: Forms W-2 and 1099 will not be updated for 2025. Inform Employees: The IRS encourages employers to use alternative methods (like Box 14 or an online portal) to provide this deduction information to employees. The new federal qualified overtime deduction (§225) and qualified tip deduction (§224) – adopted midyear by the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill but effective for overtime and tips received beginning January 1, 2025 – has created reporting challenges for both taxpayers and tax practitioners. The IRS recognizes that, in some instances, payors and employers may lack the necessary accounting information infrastructure (data, systems, and/or procedures) to fully and accurately comply with these added information reporting requirements. Given (1) that the mid-year law change is a significant contributor to this lack of preparedness and (2) the fact that the IRS had announced in August that Forms W-2 and 1099 for taxable year 2025 will not be updated to reflect these OBBBA-related changes, the IRS concluded that enforcement during this initial year would be difficult. Notice 2025-62 The IRS recently issued Notice 2025-62 addressing potential failures related to implementing the new reporting requirements. The relief targets penalties imposed under §6721 for failure to file correct information returns and under §6722 for failure to furnish correct payee statements. It is extremely important to understand that is not blanket relief covering all requirements for inclusion of information on certain information returns; the penalty relief granted is strictly limited to the narrow subject of failing to separately report tips, occupation or overtime compensation to the extent that the person otherwise files and furnishes a complete and correct return or statement for amounts paid during 2025 only. In summary, the Notice provides that the IRS will not impose penalties for 2025 under either section in the following circumstances: Relief Related to Qualified Tips and Occupations: The penalties will not be imposed if an employer fails to provide the separate accounting of reasonably designated cash tips or the occupation for which the tips are earned (see proposed regulations for over 70 separate eligible occupations of tipped workers) on any of the returns or statements required to be filed. Relief Related to Qualified Overtime Compensation: The penalties will not be imposed if an employer fails to separately provide the total amount of qualified overtime compensation as defined in §225 on any of the returns or statements required to be filed. The IRS has determined that taxable year 2025 will be regarded as a transition period for the enforcement and administration of the new information reporting requirements. Employers should be taking steps now to be able to accumulate and provide this information for 2026 and later tax years. Even with the penalty relief, the IRS is still encouraging employers to provide overtime and tip information to employees to allow them to determine if they are eligible to claim the deductions. The IRS suggests providing the information through an online portal, in an additional written statement, or in Box 14 of the employee’s Form W-2. Risk of Reporting an Incorrect Amount Employers may want to exercise caution, as some tax experts are concerned about the risk of reporting an incorrect amount on the W-2 for 2025 and possibly exposing employers to litigation risk under existing tax law, even with the penalty relief for non-reporting. Specifically for example, §7434 allows employees to bring civil action for “fraudulent” filing of an information return, with potential damages of $5,000 or more per employee. While this risk may be small from a practical perspective, employers may want to simply rely on the penalty relief for 2025 and report nothing on the W-2 itself but to be prepared, in the interest of good employee relations, to provide certain information to employees allowing them to separately conclude whether they are entitled to, and the amount of, any deduction. Finally, this relief applies for IRS tax reporting purposes only; employers may still be required to comply with separate Department of Labor (DOL) regulations. How Can Schneider Downs Help? For more information on the impact of the OBBB, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/obbb or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### 5 Accounting Priorities for Dealerships as We Close 2025 The 2025 AICPA Dealership Conference highlighted meaningful shifts in how dealerships are structuring and supporting their accounting functions. With staffing shortages continuing and financial processes growing more complex, many stores are rethinking how work gets allocated, how information flows and how technology supports accuracy and speed. Dealers are prioritizing more consistent execution, better visibility into daily activity and tools that help teams stay efficient during periods of change. Below are four of the top accounting takeaways from the conference. Hybrid Accounting Models More dealerships are moving to a hybrid structure with on-site office managers supported by centralized processing for AR, AP, deal posting and banking. This approach helps improve accuracy, consistency and staffing flexibility. Technology to Increase Efficiency Dealerships are adopting AI, automation and digital exception reporting to help offset talent shortages, streamline routine work and allow teams to focus on higher-value tasks. Playbooks for Core Accounting Functions Retirements and turnover continue to pressure staffing. Dealers are creating documented playbooks for key processes to speed onboarding, support cross-training and standardize execution. Daily “Jump Start” Manager Meetings Many stores are using 10-minute daily meetings to increase visibility into department issues and receivables. The meeting is mandatory for all managers, and the controller distributes updated receivable schedules every day. The general manager directs the depth of the discussion and the specific issues to be addressed. This promotes accountability, faster escalation and better cash awareness. How Can Schneider Downs Help? If your dealership is refining its accounting structure or planning year-end improvements, our team can help you assess your current processes and identify practical opportunities to increase accuracy, efficiency and control. Contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Innovation Transformation: Unleashing a New Audit Experience We are actively redefining audit excellence through continuous investment in next-generation technologies and team empowerment. As the leader of our audit practice, I’m energized to see our team’s collective enthusiasm for driving the future of audit through the implementation of enhanced methodologies, including the implementation of the CaseWare Dynamic Audit Solution and innovation throughout the practice.  Through data, automation and AI, we are driving smarter decision-making by empowered teams. While DAS is just one of our initiatives, it’s part of a broader journey of continuous transformation, driven by the boundless potential of innovation. Why We Are Doing This Our tech-enabled audit platform doesn’t just streamline processes—it unlocks deeper, real-time insights that empower our teams to serve clients with smarter, faster business decisions.  Our focus on progressive technologies is driven by the expectations of our clients and our team to deliver on our promise of exceptional client service.  Today’s digital-native professionals thrive in tech-forward environments, and the timing is right to empower them with innovative tools. How Our Clients Benefit From a client standpoint, the impact of our investment in technology is profound. With innovation, we are driving deeper insight into our assurance processes.  Our professionals come ready to serve and help our clients solve complex problems.  When we understand our clients' businesses and needs better, we can provide stronger audit and advisory services. A key part of this transformation is our shift to a cloud-based practice via the Caseware platform. This multi-year rollout is streamlining data integration and improving efficiency across our audit practice. While the transition requires upfront effort, our team at every level is energized by the long-term impact: delivering better results, faster. Embracing Change I’m proud to work at a firm that has embraced change since it opened its doors in 1956. Schneider Downs thrives with a culture that recognizes the potential of technology to  provide a best-in-class client experience while also providing a roadmap for our professionals to excel. Our transformation relies on inclusive change management by engaging team members at every level in decision-making and adoption. This team-centered approach is a huge part of our success. As we continue to implement these new tools, we are committed to ensuring that our team has the necessary skills to use the latest technology and sophisticated processes. Our entire practice is engaged in collaborative work that will transform our future. The Bottom Line The success of our technological advancements will be measured by client satisfaction and team fulfillment. Team members love coming to work at Schneider Downs and serving clients with these new, exciting tools. From a client perspective, we can deliver on our clients' deadlines and expectations more meaningfully. It’s simple: Schneider Downs is committed to leading the way in audit practice through the adoption of new technologies. This commitment is driven by the needs of our clients and our people, and it is transforming the way we do business. Discover how our innovative approach can transform your audit experience—reach out to our team to learn more.   Questions about how you might benefit from these now technologies? Ask your Schneider Downs team or contact me directly at sbrogan@schneiderdowns.com. ### Fighting Fraud with AI: Turning the Tide In recent years, generative AI has made for enabling high-profile deepfakes and impersonation scams. Schneider Downs is proud to be an official supporting organization of International Fraud Awareness Week. To mark the 25th anniversary of International Fraud Awareness Week, we are releasing a series of content on how AI is reshaping the landscape of fraud detection and prevention.  This article focuses on how to fight fraud with AI-powered tools. Generative AI is providing bad actors with a powerful tool to refine and scale their efforts to compromise victim companies, individuals and governments for financial gain. Social engineering, business email compromise, forged documents and synthetic identity schemes are now even more compelling thanks to AI.  But despite the onslaught of AI-fueled attacks, organizations are using the same emerging technologies to turn the tide. Fraud fighters are using AI tools to augment traditional internal controls to respond smarter and faster to fraud schemes and even prevent them from occurring in the first place. The Rise of AI-Powered Defense AI is no longer just a buzzword; it’s an integral part of a robust program of anti-fraud controls. From financial institutions to internal audit departments, organizations are deploying AI to detect anomalies, flag suspicious behavior and prevent fraud before it happens. According to Business Insider, MasterCard is using AI to improve its automated fraud alerts to cardholders. MasterCard asserts AI has helped it refine its risk calculations and reduce false positives. Perhaps you’ve noticed a change in how your bank or credit card provider alerts you about suspicious transactions over the past few years. AI systems like these analyze vast amounts of data in real time, like transaction patterns, device fingerprints and behavioral signals to identify subtle indicators of fraud that human analysts might miss. Unlike traditional rule-based systems, AI models continuously learn and adapt, improving accuracy and reducing false positives. Real-World Applications Behavioral Analysis: AI models track user behavior across platforms to detect deviations that may signal fraud. For example, a sudden change in login location or spending habits can trigger an alert. Transaction and Accounting Entry Monitoring: As mentioned, MasterCard and other financial institutions are using AI to refine their approach to monitoring customer and cardholder transactions for suspicious activity, protecting them in the process. Likewise, this same approach can be applied to internal accounting records to automatically flag accounting entries that may exhibit suspicious attributes (e.g., round numbers, journal entries posted outside business hours, unusual combinations of accounts). Document and Identity Verification: AI tools now scrutinize IDs, credentials and transaction support for signs of manipulation and AI generation. As deepfake documents become more convincing, AI helps verify authenticity by analyzing shadows, textures and metadata. No Replacement for Internal Controls Despite its potential, AI is not and will never be a silver bullet. It’s another item in the toolbelt of fraud fighters. However, it’s no substitute for a robust system of internal controls. “Old school” controls like multiple approvals for large transactions, confirmation of vendor changes via secondary channels, ethics and fraud hotlines, and a strong ‘tone at the top’ will still make the difference between preventing fraud and falling victim to it. How Can Schneider Downs Help? At Schneider Downs, we have years of experience helping organizations respond to potential fraud and developing anti-fraud programs to catch fraud before it happens. If you have questions or concerns, contact a member of our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of a series highlighting how AI is reshaping the landscape of fraud detection and prevention. Additional articles include: The Dark Side of Generative AI in 2025: AI Voice Cloning AI and the Future of Fraud Risk Management About International Fraud Awareness Week Since 2000, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners has recognized the third week in November as International Fraud Awareness Week. With a focus on awareness, education and fostering a culture of integrity, International Fraud Awareness Week recognizes the importance of taking action in the fight against fraud. Learn more at FraudWeek.com. About Schneider Downs Business Advisory Our experienced team of business advisors, consisting of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs), a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF), a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI), and Certified Mergers and Acquisition Advisors (CM&AAs), leverages their industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk proactively or during acquisitions, fraud events, litigation, arbitration, corporate reorganization and other major business transactions and transitions. To learn more, visit our dedicated Business Advisory page. ### AI and the Future of Fraud Risk Management Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the fraud landscape at an unprecedented pace. For organizational leaders, staying informed is not optional—it’s imperative. Schneider Downs is proud to be an official supporting organization of International Fraud Awareness Week. To mark the 25th anniversary of International Fraud Awareness Week, we are releasing a series of content on how AI is reshaping the landscape of fraud detection and prevention.  This article focuses on AI and future predictions for fraud risk management. Understanding the Risks of AI and Building Resilience The dual nature of AI, as both a tool for fraudsters and a powerful ally in fraud prevention, demands a proactive and strategic response. Understanding how fraudsters exploit AI, through deepfakes, voice cloning, fraudulent document and image creation, and sophisticated phishing schemes, is the first step in building resilience. Equally important is recognizing how AI-enabled technologies can strengthen fraud risk management programs, offering predictive insights, anomaly detection, real-time monitoring capabilities, and efficiency gains. Exploring the Human Element of AI There are and will continue to be many threats that aren’t reliant on the use of AI, and an organization’s use of AI technology alone will never be enough. Human awareness, critical thinking, and ethical judgment remain irreplaceable. AI should augment, not replace, these core capabilities. Organizations must foster a culture of vigilance and empower teams to question, verify, and act decisively. About the Cost of AI… While many AI tools are available today, cost concerns often hinder adoption, especially within organizations that might not face as much fraud risk as financial institutions. As implementation costs and false positive rates decline, the value proposition of AI in fraud risk management will become increasingly compelling. Forward-thinking organizations must prepare now to capitalize on these advancements. Organizations with mature fraud risk assessments are uniquely positioned to quantify expected benefits and make informed decisions. Those organizations with mature fraud risk assessments that embrace agile frameworks and adaptive practices will be best equipped to evolve alongside AI. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs’s Business Advisory Services team provides proactive fraud risk management consulting tailored to an organization’s industry, size, and risks, and ranging from fraud risk assessments and program maturity assessments to governance, internal control, investigation, and program monitoring consulting. If you’re interested in learning about how we can assess or help to mature your organization’s fraud risk management program, contact a member of our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of a series highlighting how AI is reshaping the landscape of fraud detection and prevention. Additional articles include: The Dark Side of Generative AI in 2025: AI Voice Cloning Fighting Fraud with AI: Turning the Tide About International Fraud Awareness Week Since 2000, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners has recognized the third week in November as International Fraud Awareness Week. With a focus on awareness, education and fostering a culture of integrity, International Fraud Awareness Week recognizes the importance of taking action in the fight against fraud. Learn more at FraudWeek.com. About Schneider Downs Business Advisory Our experienced team of business advisors includes Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE), a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF), a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI), and Certified Mergers and Acquisition Advisors (CM&AA). We leverage our industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk proactively or during acquisitions, fraud events, litigation, arbitration, corporate reorganization and other major business transactions and transitions. To learn more, visit our dedicated Business Advisory page. ### The Dark Side of Generative AI in 2025: Voice Cloning With the capabilities of generative AI tools becoming so widely available, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between what’s real and fake. Schneider Downs is proud to be an official supporting organization of International Fraud Awareness Week. To mark the 25th anniversary of International Fraud Awareness Week, we are releasing a series of content on how AI is reshaping the landscape of fraud detection and prevention.  This article focuses on AI voice cloning. This past summer, an imposter sent deceptive AI-generated voicemail messages to foreign and U.S. officials, leveraging U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s voice. This sparked national security concerns. Simultaneously, the publicity helped spread awareness of the threats that generative AI can pose. With generative AI capabilities growing exponentially, and AI tools becoming increasingly prevalent in everyday life, it is getting much harder to distinguish between what’s real and fake. Imagine receiving a call from what sounds exactly like a family member or colleague in distress, only to discover it was an AI-generated voice leading you into a financial scam. Think it could never happen to you? Our latest video might change your mind. Put your instincts to the test as you try to tell the difference between a real voice and an AI-generated one, featuring both authentic and synthetic audio clips from our co-CEO, Chris McElroy. The Real-Life Impact of AI Voice Cloning The implications for fraud are profound and far-reaching, extending far beyond the use of cloned voices. Generative AI has expanded the pool of threat actors by lowering the bar for technological expertise and increasing the scale of attacks through rapid content creation capabilities. Fraudsters are exploiting large language models (LLMs) to craft highly convincing and personalized phishing emails and text messages, designed to deceive recipients into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links or sending funds. Beyond phishing, these AI tools can even be used to generate documentation, images and even video calls. These materials can then be used to support fraudulent expense reimbursement requests and vendor invoices, and create malware and viruses. Tips to Reduce the Risk of AI-Enabled Fraud Be cautious of unsolicited messages that create urgency or emotional pressure. Consider leveraging corporate credit cards for employee expenses. Educate employees and family members about the risks of AI-generated scams. Leverage multi-factor authentication to protect accounts. Maintain and implement transaction approval workflows. Verify the identity of callers or message senders through secondary channels. How Can Schneider Downs Help? At Schneider Downs, we have years of experience helping organizations respond to potential fraud and developing anti-fraud programs to catch fraud before it happens. If you have questions or concerns, contact a member of our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of a series highlighting how AI is reshaping the landscape of fraud detection and prevention. Additional articles include: AI and the Future of Fraud Risk Management Fighting Fraud with AI: Turning the Tide About International Fraud Awareness Week Since 2000, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners has recognized the third week in November as International Fraud Awareness Week. With a focus on awareness, education and fostering a culture of integrity, International Fraud Awareness Week recognizes the importance of taking action in the fight against fraud. Learn more at FraudWeek.com. About Schneider Downs Business Advisory Our experienced team of business advisors, consisting of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs), a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF), a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI), and Certified Mergers and Acquisition Advisors (CM&AAs), leverages their industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk proactively or during acquisitions, fraud events, litigation, arbitration, corporate reorganization and other major business transactions and transitions. To learn more, visit our dedicated Business Advisory page. ### 5 Operational Priorities for Dealerships as We Close 2025 Operational conversations at the 2025 AICPA Dealership Conference focused on helping dealerships strengthen efficiency, protect profitability and keep employees engaged in a changing market. Leaders discussed how shifting tax dynamics may influence used-vehicle demand, how F&I and reinsurance strategies are evolving and how reconditioning practices are becoming more disciplined to support sales velocity. Dealers also emphasized the importance of clearer communication, better coordination across service workflows and stronger risk management. At the same time, growing attention is being placed on cybersecurity and employee compensation transparency as stores work to improve both resilience and retention. Below are key operational themes and considerations that stood out from this year’s conference. Tax Legislation Impact Withholding tables were not revised for recent tax legislation (OBBB) and economists are forecasting larger tax refunds and increased demand for used vehicles. F&I and Reinsurance Optimization As profits return to pre-Covid levels, F&I products and reinsurance arrangements are increasingly important profit centers. Savy dealers are not only optimizing deferral opportunities but also focusing on investment management within their reinsurance program. Three-Day Reconditioning Deadline With increasing pressure on used vehicle sales, many dealers are implementing three-day deadlines for reconditioning and providing technicians with incentives to work overtime to ensure that inventory moves through the shop promptly without delaying customer pay or warranty work. Video Multi-Point Inspections Dealers are providing technicians with the tools to capture video of concerns identified during their multi-point inspections. The technician then sends this video directly to the customer, not the service advisor. Dealers are incentivizing technicians for these up sales. Reconditioning Profit Sharing Dealers have long recognized the profit potential of older, higher mileage vehicles but have often been squeezed out of this market by the cost of getting these cars through the service department, even at internal rates. To deal with this problem, some dealers are reconditioning these vehicles at actual cost (parts and technician wages). Then when the vehicle is sold, the profit (after all commissions) is shared with the service departments. The sharing percentages discussed were 35% for service and 25% for parts. How Can Schneider Downs Help? If your dealership is reviewing its operational priorities or planning year-end improvements, our team can help you assess your current processes and identify practical opportunities to increase accuracy, efficiency and control. Contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Dealership Services Schneider Downs’ Dealership practice helps single-point stores and multi-location groups strengthen operations, improve profitability, and plan for long-term growth. Our cross-functional team delivers audit and assurance, tax and accounting, risk advisory and cybersecurity, digital innovation (automation, analytics, custom DMS reporting), transaction advisory, forensic accounting, reinsurance advisory, exit and succession planning, and wealth management—led by responsive senior professionals who know the dealership business. We actively contribute across NADA, AICPA dealership forums, and state associations, bringing timely insights and practical guidance to every engagement. To learn more, visit our dedicated Dealerships page or contact contactsd@schneiderdowns.com ### Reopening the Government Doesn’t End the Risk: What Internal Audit Should Do Next Today is November 12, 2025, and the longest government shutdown is U.S. history is one step away from coming to an end. The Senate has approved a plan to reopen federal operations, and the House is expected to vote immediately. If approved, the measure would fund most government activities through January 30. While the shutdown may be nearing its end, it underscores how quickly federal disruptions can introduce operational, financial, and compliance challenges, particularly for organizations with public sector exposure or federal dependencies. In these environments, internal audit functions play a vital role in assessing risks, maintaining continuity, and supporting informed decision-making. Below are several areas internal audit teams should evaluate as organizations transition out of the shutdown and prepare for continued uncertainty: 1. Disruption of Federal Funding and Cash Flow Shutdowns = freezing payments and delaying reimbursements for federally funded programs and contracts. This creates funding risks for organizations reliant on government funding, grants, or contracts. Internal audit should: Assess exposure to delayed federal payments. Review contingency plans for maintaining operations during funding gaps. Validate compliance with contractual obligations. 2. Compliance and Regulatory Delays Federal agencies often suspend routine oversight, permitting, and reporting during shutdowns. This can lead to: Missed deadlines for regulatory filings. Increased risk of non-compliance with grant or award conditions. Auditors and compliance functions should confirm that critical compliance activities are prioritized and documented, even if agency responses are delayed. 3. Cybersecurity and Data Integrity Reduced staffing at agencies like the IRS and other federal bodies can weaken oversight and increase vulnerability to fraud or cyber threats. Internal audit should: Reassess cybersecurity controls and monitoring processes. Ensure continuity of data protection measures during periods of limited federal engagement. 4. Strategic and Operational Resilience Shutdowns highlight the need for defined risk management processes. Internal audit should: Evaluate business continuity plans for prolonged disruptions. Recommend scenario planning for future shutdowns, including stress testing liquidity and workforce impacts. Assess potential revenue impacts to the organization. Government shutdowns are more than political events. They can quickly cascade into operational, financial, and compliance risks for businesses. Internal audit functions must be proactive to ensure that organizations remain resilient, compliant, and prepared for uncertainty. If you have any questions or concerns about your organization’s risk exposure, contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### October 2025 Market Recap The S&P 500 has now posted six consecutive monthly gains, while the NASDAQ has extended its winning streak to seven. Both indices have recorded 36 all-time closing highs year-to-date. NASDAQ recorded strong gains in October, supported by robust earnings from major technology companies and surging interest in artificial intelligence. In the final week of the month, Nvidia became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market capitalization, while Apple and Microsoft each surpassed the $4 trillion mark. Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Tesla also posted solid quarterly results, contributing to a 4.7% monthly gain in the tech-heavy NASDAQ. Amazon led market gains on the last trading day of the month, rallying 9.6% to a record high on stronger-than expected AI-related revenue growth and expanded data-center investment plans. The “Magnificent Seven” stocks, which now comprise roughly 38% of the S&P 500’s market weight, were the primary drivers of October’s 2.3% S&P500 gain. Just five stocks (Alphabet, Nvidia, Apple, Amazon, and Broadcom) generated more than 100% of the monthly return with nearly 60% of S&P 500 constituents declining in October. The equal-weight S&P 500 ended lower for the month, trailing by 3.2%. Overall, market sentiment remained risk-on in October, fueled by expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut and optimism around a potential U.S.-China trade agreement. International equities (MSCI ACWI Ex-US Index) also had a strong month, returning over 3.6% for September, bringing the year-to-date returns to almost 30% for 2025. Emerging Markets (MSCI Emerging Markets) also had another impressive month, returning over 3.9% for the month of September, bringing their 2025 return almost to 32%. As the global earnings growth driver is becoming increasingly reliant on technology companies, these companies are found more so in the U.S. and Emerging Markets. Other than earnings growth, the U.S. Dollar continues to be one of the biggest drivers in cross-asset performance (still down over -8% for the year), boosting international equity returns. Another element to consider on the U.S. dollar, it has been down amidst a global risk-on sentiment surge. While not apparent yet, we will be watching to see if the U.S. dollar will receive a risk-off bid if markets eventually do go through some volatility. The Federal Reserve implemented its second consecutive rate cut on October 29th, lowering the target range for the federal funds rate to 3.75%–4.00%. At the longer end of the yield curve, the 10-year Treasury yield ranged between 4.18% early in the month and 3.97% mid-month - its first close below 4% since April 2025. The 10-year yield ended in October at 4.11%, down from 4.16% at the end of September. The Bloomberg Aggregate Bond Index gained 0.6% for the month and 6.8% for 2025. When looking at the relationship between starting yields and subsequent returns in core fixed income, starting yields tell investors a great deal about what their return could be if they hold the bond to maturity. Almost 90% of the variability in total return can be explained by the starting yield alone. Even though the reset higher in yields has created a challenging environment for bonds over the last few years, it has greatly improved the total return potential for returns going forward. Investors with longer investing horizons should consider the higher-than-average yields that bonds generally offer as the Federal Reserve has started to cut rates again.   Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### When Physical Theft Becomes a Cyber Story: Lessons from the Louvre When I first saw headlines about a daytime robbery of 100 million dollars’ worth of French Crown Jewels from the Louvre, I imagined a Hollywood heist straight out of Ocean’s Eleven. The reality was far less glamorous. Reports say the thieves parked a truck during a Sunday morning, used a truck-mounted basket lift to reach the Galerie D’Apollon, forced open a window with a blow torch and a small chainsaw, used an angle grinder to break through the glass cases, took nine jewels, and sped off on  mopeds… all within approximately seven minutes. Police have four suspects in custody, but none of the stolen pieces have been recovered . Bold? Yes. High-tech? Not really. Why Cybersecurity Stole the Spotlight So why is everyone talking about cybersecurity when this was clearly a physical robbery? One of my favorite lines from Ocean’s Eleven is, “Don’t use seven words when four will do.” The Louvre took that minimalist mindset too literally. A 2014 report showed the password for the Louvre’s surveillance system was “LOUVRE,” and a key platform used the password “THALES,” the name of the vendor. At least they used all caps, right? Then, in 2017, an audit found some office networks still running Windows 2003, which could not receive antivirus updates. There is no public confirmation that these issues were ever corrected. None of that played a role in the heist. The thieves didn’t exploit weak passwords or hack in through outdated systems. But once investigators started digging, these past cybersecurity failures resurfaced and immediately became part of the story. Media attention shifted from lift trucks and angle grinders to something more embarrassing: the museum’s long-ignored security basics. Even though the crime was a smash-and-grab, the Louvre’s history of neglecting fundamental protections turned outdated IT practices into a reputational liability. Why Physical Security Still Matters Cybersecurity protection is only part of a strong security posture. Physical security remains essential. Regular penetration testing, facility assessments, audits and site reviews help identify weak entry points and operational gaps. The thieves were brazen, but they were not careless. They struck during a period when gallery traffic was low and security presence was thin. They approached from outside, used equipment to bypass monitored corridors and took advantage of predictable guard patterns. The strategy highlights how timing, reconnaissance and physical access techniques can allow attackers to evade even well-designed controls. These measures may not stop every fast, coordinated theft, but they reinforce that security must protect both the physical environment and the digital estate. Strong programs take a layered approach across people, process and technology to improve resilience and reduce exposure. Protecting Reputation Through Cyber Maturity Cybersecurity is more than preventing breaches. It signals whether an organization can be trusted. Even though those weak passwords likely had nothing to do with the robbery, neglected issues have a way of resurfacing at the worst time. Now the Louvre may be remembered as much for its password hygiene as for its stolen jewels. And if nothing else, I know I will think twice before connecting to public Wi-Fi when I visit the Louvre this holiday season. If you want to learn from real breach stories and the preventative steps that could have changed the outcome, join our annual Before the Breach – A Strategic Guide to Cyber Breach Preparation webinar in January. Our cybersecurity team breaks down real incidents and practical actions every organization can take.  About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. ### Managing the Challenges of M&A During and After the Federal Government Shutdown Government contractors have faced significant uncertainty in 2025. Despite initial hopes of an invigorated Federal Government contracting environment that would spur investment, the impact of DOGE and now the October 1, 2025, Federal Government shutdown has created significant challenges for GovCon M&A. Deal Flow and Market Dynamics However, despite the obstacles, deal flow is still relatively strong. Buyers, particularly mid-size strategics, are viewing the current environment as a discount window to take advantage of an uncertain market and acquire in advance of downstream sale. Sellers, especially those approaching retirement age, remain in the market, and timing is still optimum for small business sellers and buyers to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions of the SBA’s new recertification rule. How the Shutdown Complicates Deal Terms With that said, the Federal Government shutdown has created challenges when crafting deal terms. How then are buyers and sellers dealing with the shutdown? What are potential landmines that need to be considered? This article addresses some key areas that should be addressed in negotiating a deal that is impacted by the shutdown. Valuation Considerations for GovCon M&A Valuations are often tied to the achievement of an Adjusted EBTIDA target for an historical or forecasted period of time. Preliminary valuations are frequently subject to adjustment should rolling trailing twelve month adjusted EBITDA fall below the initial valuation threshold. The Federal Government shutdown will result in 4th quarter 2025 numbers falling below pre shut down expectations for contractors whose funding is adversely affected or where work is delayed when government oversight or administration is required for work to proceed on funded contracts. How are buyers and sellers dealing with this? We are seeing deals where the parties agree to look through the shutdown – that is, there is no impact to valuation so long as revenue and adjusted EBITDA levels return to pre-shutdown levels. In evaluating the viability of this potential workaround, multiple factors come into play including understanding what period of time is required to return to pre-shutdown levels, especially when a Company’s workforce may be adversely affected for those employees or 1099s who may seek alternative employment in non-impacted industry sectors. In some instances, upfront consideration is being moved downstream to an earnout or other contingent payment based on resuming pre-shut down revenue and adjusted EBITDA levels. Slippage in pipeline awards can also complicate projected performance targets. Working Capital Impacts Impacts to working can be significant due to payment delays and an increase in unbilled or potentially unrecoverable costs. Payment delays, for instance, can result in a highly inflated receivable balance that will favor the buyer if not effectively normalized in establishing the working capital peg or target. Likewise, receivable levels can decrease on certain contracts which are impacted due to work stoppages and delays – these must also be addressed. Shutdown-Related Cost Treatment Incremental costs associated with the shutdown, especially those related to employee retention, should be tracked, monitored and ideally treated as an adjustment to EBITDA. At-Risk Work and Recoverability A contactor may continue work on a contract where stoppage is impractical or to maintain good relations with the government customer. Where funding or payment is not assured at the time of shutdown, such costs can accumulate as unbilled receivables and recoverability will need to be a focal point during diligence. Sellers should carefully evaluate the impact of cost recovery. Third-Party Funding Considerations Deals where third-party lending is key for a buyer, risk is being ameliorated through the use of seller financing, thus lessening the strain on senior lenders. Also pivotal is finding a lender that is knowledgeable of the government contracting industry. Now is not the best time to obtain funding from lenders that do not have experience in the space. Earnouts and Deferred Payments There has been a proliferation of the use of earnouts and deferred payments in the purchase of Federal Government contractors in 2025 primarily as a result of the uncertainty of DOGE, streaming of the procurement process, termination of contracts, award delays, etc. The Federal Government shutdown will further impact earnout dynamics, especially for payments based on 2026 or near term performance. Just a few considerations are: Reduction in workforce – Contractors that experienced a decrease in workforce due to voluntary terminations during the shutdown must often replace those employees/consultants to achieve pre-shutdown revenue and profit levels. Delays in finding and onboarding employees may be key to returning to pre-shutdown levels – this can be exacerbated where the new employees must be approved/cleared by the customer. This can impact both revenue and profitability during the earnout period. Burning hot – while burning hot on contracts post shutdown may help achieve or exceed target revenue levels, margins may be adversely affected. Careful consideration of the consequences of burning hot will often vary by contract or contract type and may require contract officer approval. Performance based milestones – earnouts that are milestone based or tied to a specific non-financial goal or objective (e.g., contract renewal) may be adversely affected by the shutdown. Timing delays should be considered upfront where practical. Earnout provisions will require careful negotiation to arrive at an equitable resolution. The government shutdown has added increased complexity to an M&A environment that was already fraught with challenges. Having an experienced and cohesive deal team will help address such challenges as will negotiations that benefit from considering the other party’s perspective in arriving at deal terms that are fair to both parties. If you have any questions, please contact the SD Capital team at contact@sdcapital.com or visit www.sdcapital.com. To download a print version of this article, please click here. About SD Capital SD Capital is a premier, full-service, value advisory and investment banking practice that assists middle-market companies in creating and maximizing business value. We provide strategic evaluation and execution of various downstream sales and monetization pathways. With decades of combined executive experience running, owning and advising private companies our team is uniquely positioned to guide owners through the complex process of growing and selling their companies. Schneider Downs Capital LLC is a subsidiary of Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. ### 5 Red Flags That Could Be Hurting Your Dealership’s Financial Health Strong financial controls are critical to protecting a dealership’s profitability and long-term growth. Many dealerships operate with lean accounting teams and limited oversight, which can allow small issues to grow into larger financial challenges over time. In working with clients across the industry, we often see early indicators that signal when stronger risk controls are needed. Below are five common red flags that can help dealership owners identify potential vulnerabilities before they become costly problems. Financial Results Not Aligning With Department Performance When the accounting profit and loss statement shows results that do not align with sales, service, or parts performance expectations, it may be a sign of misclassified entries or inconsistent reporting between departments. Lack of Segregation of Duties in Cash Handling A single employee performing multiple steps in cash handling creates a high risk of error or fraud. For example, an individual who records deposits and manages accounts receivable or writes checks and manages vendor arrangements could conceal misappropriations without proper review or oversight. Sloppy Accounting Schedules Incomplete or outdated schedules for any account, but especially receivables, cash clearing and bank activity can make it difficult to verify balances and identify errors. This can also slow down the monthly close and frustrate auditors or leadership who rely on timely reports. Unexpected 13th Month Adjustments Unexpected adjustments at year-end that significantly change profitability, such as large write-offs of uncollectable amounts or unrecorded expenses, can suggest that financial activity wasn’t properly captured or reviewed during the year. Unreconciled Bank Accounts Bank reconciliations are such a fundamental accounting function that unreconciled accounts are often the sign of much larger problems. These problems may be as innocent as inadequate training or as malicious as outright theft. Don’t let bank accounts go unreconciled and be sure to fully investigate any delays. As each month passes, it becomes more difficult to identify intentional and unintentional differences. How Can Schneider Downs Help? If these red flags sound familiar, we can help you close the gaps and restore clarity, control, and confidence across your operations. Reach out to our Dealership Industry Group at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com  to start the conversation. Related Resources Risk Advisory Services for Dealerships Dealership Solutions Brochure About Schneider Downs Dealership Services Schneider Downs’ Dealership practice helps single-point stores and multi-location groups strengthen operations, improve profitability, and plan for long-term growth. Our cross-functional team delivers audit and assurance, tax and accounting, risk advisory and cybersecurity, digital innovation (automation, analytics, custom DMS reporting), transaction advisory, forensic accounting, reinsurance advisory, exit and succession planning, and wealth management—led by responsive senior professionals who know the dealership business. We actively contribute across NADA, AICPA dealership forums, and state associations, bringing timely insights and practical guidance to every engagement. To learn more, visit our dedicated Dealerships page or contact contactsd@schneiderdowns.com ### 4 Ways Managed Accounting Helps Your Business Succeed Managed accounting, also referred to as outsourced accounting, helps businesses save money, gain expert financial guidance, and scale with confidence. Managed accounting is becoming a go-to solution for businesses that want more than just basic bookkeeping services. By working with a team of experienced professionals, companies gain access to expert financial guidance, scalable support, and the latest technology without the challenge of building everything in-house. The result is smarter decision-making and greater efficiency. Here are four of the most important benefits businesses see when they choose managed accounting services. Cost Savings That Boost Your Bottom Line – Gain the capabilities of a full in-house accounting team without the weight of payroll, benefits, or overhead. A fixed monthly fee means predictable costs and more capital to reinvest in growth. Smarter Decisions with Expert Financial Insight – Your team gets direct access to industry and subject-matter experts who provide real-time tax strategies and modernization guidance. These insights empower leadership to make faster, more informed decisions that drive measurable business results. Scalability That Matches Your Growth – As your business evolves, your accounting support evolves with it. Resources scale to match your changing needs, ensuring you’re never over- or under-resourced. This flexibility lets your team stay focused on strategy, not administrative gaps. Modern Technology That Powers Efficiency – With a secure, cloud-based accounting platform, your team works faster and smarter. Automated processes replace manual tasks, improving accuracy, increasing efficiency, and freeing up valuable time to focus on growth. Together, these benefits make managed accounting a cost-effective and future-focused solution for growing businesses. By combining financial expertise, flexible support, and modern technology, you gain the resources to make smarter decisions and keep your business moving forward with confidence. If you think your organization may benefit from Managed Accounting Services, or if you’d simply like to learn more, reach out to our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. How Can Schneider Downs Help? The Schneider Downs Managed Accounting team delivers flexible finance, accounting, and tax solutions designed around your business. From monthly reporting and virtual CFO support to strategic  tax planning, we scale with your needs. Our process is collaborative and seamless as we work with you to define priorities and guide you through an onboarding experience that sets the foundation for long-term success. Learn more at https://schneiderdowns.com/managed-accounting. ### JLR Cyber Breach: Business Interruption Insurance Coverage Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) detected a devastating cyberattack on August 31st that took technology systems offline, resulting in halted manufacturing across factories and negatively impacted dealer service and repair operations for over a month. Some of the diagnostic tools used by dealers are JLR-controlled and unavailable. The attack was so severe that the UK government intervened with a £1.5 billion loan guarantee to stabilize the supply chain, while Tata Motors, JLR’s parent company, secured an additional £2 billion emergency credit line. The Cyber Monitoring Centre has estimated this event caused a financial impact of at least $2.6 billion in the United Kingdom alone. With JLR’s interconnected digital infrastructure offline, downstream dealers were impacted. Service departments faced slower service and related customer dissatisfaction, leading to lost revenue and negatively impacting dealers’ bottom lines. The Case for Cyber Business Interruption Insurance For auto dealers, especially those tied to large OEMs like JLR which rely on digital infrastructure and just-in-time manufacturing, this incident underscores the critical importance of cyber business interruption insurance. According to Reuters, JLR had been negotiating an insurance policy providing business income loss protection related to cyber events but had not finalized that deal. As a result, JLR has been left to recover without an insurer to step in. Although JLR didn’t have active coverage, some JLR dealers have cyber insurance coverage extending to impacts from cyber breaches at service providers. These policies will help the dealers recover lost business income. Many of these policies also provide coverage for forensic accounting consulting services to assist the insured with their claim. How Can We help? Properly calculating lost business income for auto dealers requires a detailed understanding of dealer operations and their nuanced revenue streams and financial statements. Schneider Downs has a long history of advising vehicle dealers across the country on accounting, tax and other business advisory matters, including specialized expertise in analyzing and consulting on loss of business income for auto dealers related to business interruptions. Dealer management system service provider CDK experienced a cyber breach that made its system unavailable for a couple of weeks during the summer of 2024. Schneider Downs provided forensic accounting consulting services to several of our impacted auto dealer clients. We reviewed the dealers’ initial lost business income calculations, which had been calculated by a forensic accountant hired by their insurance carrier. Each calculation contained oversights that would have significantly negatively impacted the coverage amounts paid to our clients. After our review and feedback, our clients’ revised calculations increased by approximately 10% to 42%. With our help, our clients received the additional money rightly owed to help with their recovery. If your dealership was impacted by JLR’s cyber breach and have loss of business income coverage for interruptions caused by service provider breaches, we are here to help make sure you receive what you are due. If you need help navigating your loss of business income claim, including reviewing your insurance carrier’s hired forensic accountant’s loss of business income calculation, please contact our forensic accounting director James Rumph at jrumph@schneiderdowns.com or (614) 586-7012. About Schneider Downs Business Advisory Our experienced team of business advisors includes Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Certified Valuation Analysts (CVA), a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF), and Certified Mergers and Acquisition Advisors (CM&AA). We leverage our industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk proactively or during acquisitions, fraud events, litigation, arbitration, corporate reorganization and other major business transactions and transitions. To learn more, visit our dedicated Business Advisory page. ### Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Over… Now What? As another Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close, many companies are packing up their posters, taking down reminders, and moving on to the next initiative. But while awareness campaigns wind down, threat actors don’t. They don’t take holidays. They don’t wait until next October. This is exactly why building lasting security habits matters. Good cyber hygiene is not a once-a-year theme. It’s an everyday commitment. Throughout the month, our cybersecurity team explored the evolving threat landscape and shared practical strategies to help organizations strengthen their defenses. From governing emerging technologies to preventing breaches and rethinking authentication, these conversations focused on one goal: turning awareness into action. Here’s a look back at the topics we explored this month that matter well beyond October: AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant 5 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach Did You Use a Password to Login Today? You’re Set Up for Failure! We always value Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but what matters most is working with our community and clients year-round to help build stronger defenses and smarter security habits. Remember, October is a reminder, not a finish line. Stay Ready Before the Breach Happens To keep security top of mind, we’re hosting a cybersecurity webinar, Before the Breach – A Strategic Guide to Cyber Breach Preparation, on January 13, 2026. This session will highlight real incidents, and the practical steps companies wish they had taken before an attack. These proven practices help organizations shift from reactive to proactive security. Registration is open now, and we hope you can join us. Year-Round Security Resources Our cybersecurity team is continuously adding new resources designed to help protect both organizations and individuals. These can be accessed anytime through our Cybersecurity Resource Center, and you can stay up to date by subscribing to our bi-weekly cybersecurity newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, which shares the latest threats, trends, and industry best practices. How Can Schneider Downs Help? If you have any questions or would like to talk about your organization’s security resilience and cybersecurity practices, our team is here to help. Contact us at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com, and we’ll be glad to discuss your security program and how to strengthen it.  About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. ### Why Strategy Matters: Unlocking Organizational Value Through a Strategic Internal Audit Function A well-developed strategy can transform the internal audit function from a compliance checkpoint into a trusted advisor that drives organizational success. In today’s dynamic business environment, internal audit functions are increasing their roles to not only assess controls but to deliver strategic value.  According to the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), strategic planning is not just a best practice; it’s a requirement under Principle 9 of the Global Internal Audit Standards. The Benefits of a Strong Internal Audit Strategy A strong strategy enables the internal audit function to: Align with the organization’s mission, goals, and evolving risks Anticipate future challenges and proactively address them Allocate resources efficiently to areas of highest impact Elevate the function’s relevance and influence across the enterprise Foster continuous improvement and innovation Demonstrate measurable contributions to organizational performance A well-thought-out strategy is the key to adding value. Building a Value-Driven Strategy The IIA has published a Global Practice Guide entitled Developing the Internal Audit Strategy, which details a six-step process for creating an internal audit strategy designed to deliver value. Vision: Establish the future vision of the internal audit function. This sets the tone for how the function will work to meet stakeholder expectations, articulate priorities, and promote continuous improvement. Strategic Scan: This step is all about understanding the internal audit function and identifying factors that may impact how it operates.  This includes assessing internal and external environments to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Analysis: Using the results of the strategic scan, compare the current state with the desired future state. This can be accomplished through various techniques, including SWOT analysis, gap analysis, or scenario analysis, which reveal where the function can improve and where it can add the most value. Strategic Objectives and Initiatives: Set clear goals and actionable steps that move the function toward its vision. These initiatives should be aligned with enterprise risk and performance priorities. Communication: Share the strategy with stakeholders to build buy-in and reinforce the function’s role as a strategic partner. Review and Revise: Monitor progress and adapt the strategy as needed. This ensures the internal audit function remains agile and continues to deliver value over time. A strong internal audit strategy provides a vital foundation that helps shape the organization’s direction and drive its success. It empowers the function to go beyond assurance and become a driver of organizational resilience, performance, and trust. By investing in strategic planning, internal audit leaders position their teams to deliver insights that matter, create lasting influence, and drive continuous value. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs can help your organization transform internal audit from a compliance checkpoint into a strategic partner by building future-focused strategies, identifying opportunities for greater impact, and equipping your team to deliver insights that drive performance, resilience, and trust. For more information, contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Risk Advisory Our team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. Explore our full Risk Advisory Service offerings or contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com ### Business Risk by the Numbers: What Leaders Should Be Watching in 2026 Explore the key business risks shaping 2026, from talent and workforce challenges to cybersecurity, fraud, AI, and ownership transitions. Numbers don’t lie. They tell the story long before the impact shows up in a board meeting or a balance sheet. The numbers we’re seeing right now reveal where  pressure is building across core operational, business, and financial areas. There are five key risk areas every leader should be paying attention to right now.  They begin with the people who keep the business running, extend into technology and fraud, and grow more complex with data, AI, and ownership transitions. These trends are already shaping the 2026 business landscape and understanding them early is the first step to staying ahead. Talent and Workforce Risk The talent gap is widening across finance and accounting: 75% of CPAs are expected to retire within the next 15 years 80% of companies say they can’t recruit or retain the finance talent they need 84% of CFOs report shortages in accounting talent, followed by FP&A (49%) and accounts receivable/payable (42%) Losing experienced talent means losing knowledge that can’t be replaced overnight. It drives up hiring costs, strains teams, and increases the risk of costly mistakes. A smart strategy plans for both visible and hidden gaps. The right outsourced support can ease pressure, keep operations steady, and create room to grow. Cybersecurity and Third-party Vendor Risk Technology drives growth, but it also exposes companies to bigger and faster-moving threats: Cybercrime is projected to cost the world $10.5 trillion in 2025, making it the third-largest economy in the world Ransomware attacks are up 37% year-over-year and appear in 44% of breaches Third-party vendor breaches doubled to 30% in 2025 90% of companies lack the maturity to defend against modern, AI-driven attacks Cyber incidents can trigger major financial losses and legal exposure. They disrupt operations, damage reputation, and bring costly regulatory challenges. Recovery and insurance expenses continue to climb, and many organizations are not prepared. Prioritizing cybersecurity as both a budget line item and an organizational priority with proper assessments and remediation plans is key to staying ahead of the risk. Fraud and Financial Crime Risk Fraud isn’t a theoretical issue. It’s already hitting businesses hard: Organizations lose an estimated 5% of their annual revenue to fraud 77% of executives say risks are harder to detect and manage, and 72% admit their risk management capabilities haven’t kept pace 71% of executives expect financial crime risk to increase in 2025 Even modest levels of fraud can lead to significant financial losses over time. It attracts regulatory attention, weakens stakeholder trust, and increases the need for stronger controls and audits. Investing in proactive monitoring and fraud prevention strategies helps organizations protect both their finances and their reputation. AI Governance and Operational Risk AI is advancing faster than most companies are prepared for: 92% of organizations plan to increase AI investments over the next three years, but don’t have clear roadmaps or governance structures to manage that growth 48% of leaders say their organizations lack the high-quality data needed to operationalize AI effectively Investing in AI without a clear strategy leads to wasted resources and fragmented systems. Weak governance creates compliance and security gaps, and poor data limits the value AI can deliver. Organizations that build a strong data foundation and clear governance plans are better positioned to turn AI into real business value while reducing risk. Ownership Transition and Valuation Risk Succession planning is one of the most overlooked business risks: 43% of small business owners plan to sell their companies in the next few years A well-prepared business can command 20 to 30% higher valuation than one without a plan Unplanned exits can diminish enterprise value and disrupt culture, operations, and strategy. Without a clear transition plan, leaders risk leaving money on the table and weakening the organization’s future. Proactive exit planning, supported by value advisory and investment banking expertise, can help maximize valuation and protect a business through change. The risks shaping 2026 are real, and the numbers make that clear. Acting early is what separates reacting from leading. With the right strategy and support, businesses can manage these challenges before they grow. If these challenges sound familiar or you'd like to discuss your goals for the year ahead, please reach out to your Schneider Downs contact or our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Coal vs. Natural Gas: Market Prices and Future Outlook As of late 2025, the energy market reveals a stark divergence between coal and natural gas in both pricing and trajectory. Coal prices have remained relatively stable, buoyed by global demand—particularly in Asia, where countries like India and China continue to build new coal-fired plants. Despite environmental concerns, coal consumption remains resilient, with emissions from coal still contributing significantly to global totals. Natural gas, on the other hand, has experienced a notable rebound. The U.S. benchmark Henry Hub spot price averaged around $3.60/MMBtu in the second half of 2025, up from $2.19/MMBtu in 2024. This surge is attributed to colder-than-average temperatures, increased residential heating demand, and a sharp rise in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Forecasts suggest prices will climb further to $4.20–$4.80/MMBtu in 2026, driven by tightening supply-demand balances and new export projects. Looking ahead, coal faces mounting pressure from regulatory and environmental shifts, especially in Western markets. However, its affordability and reliability continue to make it attractive in developing economies. Natural gas, while cleaner, is increasingly influenced by global market dynamics. U.S. production growth is slowing due to capital discipline and regulatory hurdles, while LNG exports are expected to expand by over 20% by 2026. In summary, coal remains a steady energy source with regional growth pockets, while natural gas is poised for price volatility and global integration. ### Understanding §200.507: Program-Specific Audits Under Uniform Guidance Program-specific audits are a specialized form of compliance review conducted when an entity expends Federal awards under a single program and is not required to undergo a full single audit. Section 200.507 of the Uniform Guidance outlines the framework for conducting these audits, including the use of audit guides, auditor responsibilities, and reporting requirements. See below for a summary of the framework. Availability of Program-Specific Audit Guides: When a program-specific audit guide is available, auditors must adhere to both the guide and Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS). These guides provide detailed instructions on: Internal Control Evaluation Compliance requirements Suggested audit procedures Reporting formats A current list of these guides can be found in Appendix VI of the Uniform Guidance Compliance. When No Audit Guide Is Available: If no program-specific audit guide exists, the audit must follow the same standards as a major program audit within a single audit framework. Responsibilities are divided between the auditee and the auditor: Auditee Responsibilities include: Financial statements for the Federal program A Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) Notes on significant accounting policies A Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings (§200.511(b)) A Corrective Action Plan (§200.511(c)) Auditor Responsibilities include: Audit the financial statements in accordance with GAGAS. Assess and test internal controls (§200.514(c)). Evaluate compliance with applicable laws and award terms (§200.514(d)). Follow up on audit findings and assess the accuracy of the auditee’s summary (§200.511). Report current-year audit findings (§200.516). Reporting Format: Auditor reports may be combined or separate, but must include: An opinion (or disclaimer) on the fairness of the financial statements A report on internal controls, including scope and results A compliance report with an opinion (or disclaimer) A Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs consistent with §200.515(d) Submission Requirements Audits must be submitted: Within 30 calendar days of receiving the auditor’s report, or No later than nine months after the end of the audit period—whichever is earlier. If the due date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, submission is due the next business day. Submission Process With a guide: Submit the data collection form (§200.512(b)) and required reporting to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC). Without a guide: Submit the data collection form, financial statements, summary schedule of findings, corrective action plan, and auditor’s reports to the FAC. Auditees must ensure that the reporting package excludes protected personally identifiable information (PII) and, unless restricted by law, make it publicly available. Please reach out to Schneider Downs if you have any questions about program audits – we are happy to assist! About Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Services Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day. We provide valuable insight to not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and their boards through our assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services and not-for-profit fund accounting software.   To learn more, visit our Not-for-Profit Industry Group page.   ### October Investment Corner - What is a Government Shutdown? Every year, Congress must pass, and the President must sign, budget legislation for the next fiscal year, consisting of 12 appropriations bills, one for each Appropriations subcommittee (Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, etc.). The U.S. government has been partially shut down for 17 days, as of the writing of this article, due to Congress’s failure to pass any of the 12 appropriations bills required for FY 2026. Without these bills or a continuing resolution, non-essential federal functions halt, while essential services and mandatory programs continue. Since Congress introduced the modern budget process in 1976, there have been 20 “funding gaps,” including the 2018-2019 shutdown and the one in January 2018, when funds were not appropriated for at least one day. Since 1981, ten funding gaps of three days or fewer have occurred, mostly over a weekend when government operations were only minimally affected. There have now been four “true” shutdowns where operations were affected for more than one business day. The first two happened in the winter of 1995-1996, when President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress were unable to agree on spending levels, causing the government to shut down twice, for a total of 26 days. The third was in 2013, when a House and Senate standoff over funding for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) resulted in a 16-day shutdown. The fourth shutdown in December 2018 and January 2019 – technically only a partial shutdown because five of the 12 appropriations had previously been enacted – centered on a dispute over border wall funding and was the longest-lasting shutdown at 35 days. Shutdowns are costly. Federal agencies incur expenses preparing contingency plans, lose revenue from fees, and face contractor premiums to account for the uncertainty of not being paid. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown reduced Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by a total of $11 billion, including $3 billion that will never be recovered. Private businesses also suffer from delays in permits, loans, and certifications. A 2019 Senate report found that the three government shutdowns in 2013, 2018, and 2019 wasted nearly $4 billion of taxpayer dollars. Government shutdowns and U.S. defaults may often be confused, but they’re not the same. Unlike shutdowns, a government default—triggered by breaching the debt ceiling—would jeopardize all federal payments, including debt interest and mandatory spending. While shutdowns are disruptive, defaults pose far greater economic risks. For more information on the debt ceiling and what the impacts from a government default could look like please see: Our June Investment Corner Article Coffee with Alissa – The Debt Ceiling Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### 3 Signs It’s Time to Consider Managed Accounting What are key signs your organization should explore outsourced accounting? Many businesses today are navigating challenges that go beyond daily accounting tasks. Retirements among experienced staff, difficulty hiring new talent, and rising salary costs make it harder than ever to build a stable in-house team. At the same time, managing cash flow and setting aside time for long-term planning often take a back seat to immediate demands. Managed accounting services can help close these gaps by giving companies access to seasoned professionals, from accountants to virtual CFOs, who bring the expertise and structure needed to move the business forward. Below are three common challenges we help companies overcome. 1. Talent Acquisition and Attrition Can’t find the right people? Budgetary constraints for new hires? Trusted leader about to retire? Our managed accounting model provides an accounting team, including a virtual CFO, at your fingertips without the excess costs associated with in-house hires. 2. Cash Flow Constraints Our team, led by a virtual CFO, can drive working capital management and cash flows analysis and basic cash flow modeling. 3. Current Strategic Planning Process Limitations We often hear, “We are growing at a rapid pace and as a result, we do not have enough time to develop KPIs or to forecast our annual results and prepare a three-year strategic plan.”  Leave to it us to step in and implement a forecasting and strategic planning process, whether it be for a one, three, or five-year period. If these challenges sound familiar, managed accounting can step in to fill the gaps. With expert guidance and flexible support, your business can stay focused on growth instead of remaining stagnant. If you think your organization may benefit from Managed Accounting Services, or if you’d simply like to learn more, reach out to our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. How Can Schneider Downs Help? The Schneider Downs Managed Accounting team delivers flexible finance, accounting, and tax solutions designed around your business. From monthly reporting and virtual CFO support to strategic  tax planning, we scale with your needs. Our process is collaborative and seamless as we work with you to define priorities and guide you through an onboarding experience that sets the foundation for long-term success. Learn more at https://schneiderdowns.com/managed-accounting. ### Endearing Yourself to Clients—No Drama Required: The Power of the R&D Tax Credit Reprinted with permission from the Allegheny County Bar Association's Lawyers Journal. In the fictional worlds of television and cinema, attorneys have endeared themselves to their clients in many, often comical ways. Saul Goodman did it for years with his creative legal schemes on “Better Call Saul.”  Vinny Gambini did it when he got his wrongfully accused clients acquitted of murder charges in “My Cousin Vinny.” And while it might be entertaining to assist your clients as these aforementioned characters helped theirs, I would like to share with you a less dramatic, but more conventional way to endear yourself to your clients – the Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credit. In the ever-evolving landscape of U.S. tax law, few provisions have generated as much attention in recent years as the R&D Tax Credit under IRC Section 41 and the deduction for research and experimental (R&E) expenditures under IRC Section 174. These incentives have long served as pillars of federal tax policy aimed at fostering domestic innovation. However, legislative shifts – most notably the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) and the recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) – have dramatically altered the terrain. This article offers an overview of the R&D Tax Credit, including the criteria for qualification. It also examines recent developments that may affect your clients, such as: The reinstatement of immediate expensing under Section 174, New opportunities and challenges introduced by the OBBBA, and Changes to documentation requirements under Section 41. Credit for Increasing Research Activities Found in Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code and formally called the “Credit for Increasing Research Activities,” the R&D Tax Credit was introduced in 1981 as part of the Economic Recovery Tax Act  (ERTA) and was sponsored by Rep. Jack Kemp (a former Pittsburgh Steeler) and Sen. William Roth (yes, the Roth IRA guy) as an incentive to encourage domestic R&D.  Initially set to expire in 1985, the credit was extended 16 times over the next three decades and became permanent in 2015 with the enactment of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act (PATH). The R&D Tax Credit is industry agnostic and provides a dollar-for-dollar reduction in federal tax liability for qualified research activities (QRAs).  QRAs give rise to qualified research expenditures (QREs) which are needed to calculate the credit.  QREs typically include expenses related to wages paid to employees who directly perform, supervise, and/or support QRAs, payments made to third parties who perform QRAs on the taxpayer’s behalf, and/or supplies used or consumed in the research process. The credit is calculated based on the increase in QREs over a base amount, with a regular credit rate of 20% and an alternative simplified credit rate of 14%. Each year, a taxpayer may evaluate which calculation method is best for them based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the availability of base period data / documentation, the trend of their QREs, and the credit resulting from each method.  And while the credit is not refundable, unused credits may be carried forward up to 20 years and/or carried back one year. So how does one know when the work their client is performing could possibly qualify for the credit? Qualifying Criteria To qualify, activities must pass a Four-Part Test: Permitted Purpose – Improve functionality, performance, reliability, or quality of a business component. Technological in Nature – Based on principles of science or engineering. Elimination of Uncertainty – Must address uncertainty in capability, method, or design. Process of Experimentation – Involves evaluating alternatives through modeling, simulation, prototyping, or trial and error. The Four-Part Test is an “and” test, meaning that all four parts must be satisfied for QRAs to occur.  Essentially, if a taxpayer performs work that seeks to create a new or improved business component (e.g., a product, process, software, technique, formula, or invention) in terms of function, performance, reliability, and/or quality, the taxpayer  will likely satisfy the “permitted purpose” test.  If the work being performed by the taxpayer fundamentally relies upon principles of the hard sciences, the taxpayer will likely satisfy the “technical in nature" test.  If, through the course of their research, the taxpayer must seek to resolve technical uncertainty related to capability, method, and/or design, the taxpayer will likely satisfy the “elimination of uncertainty” test.  And finally, if the taxpayer undertakes a systematic evaluation of alternatives (e.g. prototyping, modeling, simulations, and/or trial-and-error testing) to eliminate technical uncertainty, the taxpayer will likely satisfy the “process of experimentation” test. Simple questions that you can ask your clients to determine whether they may be performing QRAs include the following: Have you recently developed any new or improved products? Have you recently developed any new or improved processes / undertaken any LEAN initiatives? Have you applied for or have you been granted any patents? Impact of the OBBBA / Rev. Proc. 2025-28 If you have clients who have historically claimed the R&D Tax Credit, they have recently received some relief in the OBBBA.  In July 2025, the OBBBA introduced IRC Section 174A, “Domestic research or experimental expenditures,” which restored taxpayers’ ability to immediately expense domestic research and experimentation expenditures (this had been taken away in 2022 as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act).  Foreign research and experimental expenditures still must be capitalized and amortized over 15 years. Other provisions of the OBBBA that help taxpayers and make claiming the R&D Tax Credit easier include the following: Immediate Expensing Returns: Beginning for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, domestic R&E costs are fully deductible in the year incurred—no special election needed. Retroactive Relief for Small Businesses: Companies with average gross receipts of $31 million or less over the past three years can: Amend 2022–2024 returns (must be done within one year of the bill’s enactment), or Take a catch-up deduction in 2025 or split it between 2025 and 2026. Accelerated Deductions for Larger Businesses: Companies above the small business threshold cannot amend prior returns, but they can accelerate remaining amortization from 2022-24 over one or two years starting in 2025. Like any piece of tax legislation, the OBBBA left practitioners with questions that required further clarification.  This guidance was provided in the form of Rev. Proc. 2025-28 and outlines the procedures for making certain elections under the OBBBA for domestic R&E expenditures. Claiming the Credit / Form 6765 Revisions To claim the credit, taxpayers must file Form 6765 with their original timely filed tax return (including extensions).  If amending a return, there is additional documentation required.  Qualified Small Businesses (defined as having less than $5 million in gross receipts for the current year and no gross receipts more than five years prior to the current tax year)can complete Section D of Form 6765 to make the payroll tax election and then complete Form 8974 to apply the credit against payroll taxes.  This is a great way for start-up companies to utilize their credits before they have income tax to offset. In parallel with legislative changes, the IRS has revised Form 6765, the primary vehicle for claiming the R&D credit. The new form includes: Section E which seeks additional information, including but not limited to the number of business components and officer’s wages included as QREs. Section G (mandatory completion of this section required after tax year 2024) requires detailed breakdowns of QREs by business component, the business component type and the information sought to be discovered. Taxpayers with QREs ≤ $1.5 million and gross receipts ≤ $50 million are exempt from completing Section G. These changes reflect the IRS’s heightened scrutiny and underscore the need for robust documentation. Attorneys should advise clients to maintain contemporaneous records and consider implementing R&D tracking systems / methods. While one may never match the dramatic flair of Saul Goodman or the courtroom bravado of Vinny Gambini, attorneys have a real opportunity to endear themselves to clients by helping them navigate the complexities of the R&D Tax Credit. By staying informed about legislative changes like the OBBBA and the evolving requirements for documentation and compliance, one can deliver tangible value that goes far beyond entertainment. In a landscape where innovation is rewarded, guiding clients to maximize these incentives is not just good practice – it’s good business. So, the next time your client asks how you can help, remember: sometimes the best way to be their hero is through a well-timed tax credit. About Schneider Downs Tax Services  Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Budgeting for HITRUST: What It Really Costs and How to Optimize What is the recommended approach to budgeting for HITRUST certification, and what strategies can be employed to optimize the related costs? Imagine you’re planning to renovate an old historic building. At a high level, it seems straightforward, just update the façade, modernize the interior, and ensure everything is up to code. You budget based on visible needs. However, as demo day begins, unforeseen challenges emerge with structural surprises including outdated wiring requiring complete overhauls; new code regulations that necessitate unanticipated modifications; specialty consultations to address specific issues; and extended timelines due to the complexity of the work, increasing labor expenses. Similarly, pursuing HITRUST certification often reveals complexities beyond the initial scope. What starts as a plan to meet the compliance requirements evolves into a full overhaul of your organization’s security and privacy program and the systems that are used to support it. Previously, we broke down the economic value of obtaining a HITRUST certification. Here, we break down the fees associated with the preparation, remediation, assessment, reporting, and optimization of the continuous certification process, so that you don’t have to deal with unexpected issues right before moving day. What Are Standard HITRUST Contractor Fees? Engaging a HITRUST-certified external assessor firm is an essential component of the certification process. In fact, it’s ultimately required to obtain a certification and validated assessment report. In our professional opinion, it should be the first course of action for an organization considering HITRUST. Your external assessor should be your partner throughout your HITRUST journey, guiding you through the building remodel and beyond. They have the answers to the test that you ultimately have to take and will give you the answers to prepare for that test! External Assessors are a professional service/consulting arrangement, so fees are based on the time and effort they expend. Fees can vary based on the assessment type, organizational size, and complexity of the systems in review. e1 (Entry-level): Readiness Assessment ($15,000–$25,000), Certification and Validated Assessment ($25,000–$45,000) i1 (Intermediate): Readiness Assessment ($20,000–$30,000), Certification and Validated Assessment ($40,000–$80,000) r2 (Comprehensive): Readiness Assessment ($25,000–$45,000+), Certification and Validated Assessment ($60,000–$150,000+) These figures are starting points; actual costs may be higher depending on complexity and scope. Pro Tip: Firms that are transparent about their fees should be able to help you realize discounts as you integrate automation into your control environment and mature your evidence collection and testing processes. Zoning Fees Access to the MyCSF platform is required for managing the certification process and submitting the validated assessment to HITRUST for QA validation and reporting. You will ultimately need to purchase both a professional subscription (annual) as well as a validated report agreement credit to access the platform. Professional Subscription: $15,000–$30,000+, depending on the number of licenses and any add-on features you include Validated Assessment Credit: $4,000–$8,000+ (per submission) The subscription level should align with your organization's needs and the assessment type pursued. Please note: Pricing estimates are for illustrative purposes only and subject to change. Official fees must be obtained directly from HITRUST. Internal Resource Allocation Internal costs include staff time for preparation, remediation, and coordination: Readiness Assessment and Remediation Efforts: Variable, based on identified gaps Ongoing Maintenance: Continuous investment to uphold standards Using a 100-person healthcare technology organization as an example, the internal effort required is a critical factor in achieving a successful certification outcome. On average, first-time certifications demand approximately the following internal FTE or contracted vendor hours: e1: 150–300 hours i1: 250–500 hours r2: 300–600+ hours Assuming the certification scope remains consistent, the internal effort typically decreases in year two and beyond as efficiencies are realized. Key Strategies to Optimize HITRUST Certification Costs With the help of an experienced contractor, savings can be found and, as always, planning is key! 1. Phased Readiness Approach Implementing a phased approach allows organizations to tackle the certification process in manageable segments: Phase 1: Conduct a readiness assessment to identify gaps Phase 2: Address remediation efforts systematically Phase 3: Undergo the validated assessment This structured method can lead to more efficient resource utilization and cost savings. 2. Leverage Automation Tools Work with your contractor to reduce manual control testing and develop custom automated control techniques. Additionally, consider utilizing compliance automation platforms, which can streamline evidence collection, control mapping, and reducing manual efforts and associated costs. 3. Align Scope with Business Needs Clearly defining the scope of the assessment to include only necessary systems and processes can prevent unnecessary expenditures and focus efforts where they are most impactful. Securing Leadership and Financial Buy-In Project costs add up fast, and it’s important to prepare stakeholders upfront. 1. Present a Clear Business Case Articulate the value of HITRUST certification in terms of risk mitigation, market competitiveness, and regulatory compliance to garner executive support. 2. Develop a Detailed Budget and Timeline Providing a comprehensive plan with projected costs and timelines can build confidence among stakeholders and facilitate resource allocation. 3. Highlight Long-Term Benefits Emphasize how certification can lead to long-term savings by reducing the likelihood of data breaches and associated penalties. Building Better with Partnership Projects can be unpredictable, costly, and time-intensive. When working on new projects, that is even more so the case and, for that reason, it’s important to have a partner who has been there before. A partner that is open, honest, and upfront with everything will best prepare your project to proceed. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at: contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focuses on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. ### Did You Use a Password to Login Today? You’re Set Up for Failure! A 5-minute reality check for executive leadership on modern authentication threats. In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the critical areas where organizations must elevate their cybersecurity strategies for 2025 and beyond. The focus of this article is on combating modern authentication threats. What you have been taught about authentication is wrong. It’s time to be clear about our limitations as humans: we are bad at making passwords and we haven’t learned our lesson after years of compromises on our most sensitive programs and infrastructure. You have probably heard the following guidance from your IT and Cybersecurity allies working in your organization throughout the years: Don’t share your password with anybody Don’t store your password in a file on your desktop Don’t write down your password Make sure it can’t be easily guessed (avoid using team names, birthdays, derogatory words) Use a long password Use a passphrase and not a password That guidance is now obsolete, because passwords themselves are being replaced by passwordless solutions that are more secure and save users valuable time during the authentication process. Why Your Current MFA Method Is Fighting Yesterday's War To complicate the problem even further, the legacy Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) methods that were designed to ensure you are who you say you are, have fallen victim to modern attacker methods that exploit weaknesses in the process. SMS Coders: SMS Codes can be intercepted through SIM swapping, but more commonly, they're just captured and replayed by attacker-in-the-middle tools faster than you can blink. Authentication Apps: Authenticator app codes suffer the same fate. Once that six-digit number is entered on the attacker-in-the-middle fake site, it's immediately used on the real site before it expires. Push Notifications: Push notifications are perhaps the most insidious because they've trained users to approve requests without thinking. When you get the same Microsoft Authenticator prompt you've seen hundreds of times before, your brain doesn't register that you didn’t trigger the request. The common thread isn't just that these methods can be intercepted, it's that they're designed around the assumption that the user is talking directly to the legitimate service. Simply put, when an attacker inserts themselves into that conversation, the entire security model collapses. The Anwer to Your Problems: Phishing-Resistant Passwordless Authentication Here's where the story gets better. The technology to solve this problem already exists, and you're probably already paying for it without realizing its full potential. The beauty of phishing resistant authentication solutions is that they don't require users to make better security decisions. They make man-in-the-middle attacks technically impossible with current technology, regardless of how convincing the phishing attempt might be. Windows Hello for Business: This turns your employees' faces, fingerprints, or PINs into cryptographic keys that are cryptographically infeasible to intercept or replay. When an attacker tries their man-in-the-middle attack against someone using Windows Hello, the authentication simply fails because the cryptographic response is tied to the legitimate domain and can't be redirected. Microsoft Authenticator Passwordless: This works similarly. Instead of generating a code that can be captured, it creates a unique cryptographic signature for each login attempt that only works for the specific service being accessed. An attacker can create the most convincing fake Microsoft login page in the world, but the passwordless authentication will recognize it as fake and refuse to work. Hardware Security Keys: Hardware keys, like YubiKeys, provide the same improved protection mechanisms, though they require additional hardware investment and can be more complex to manage at scale. The Authorities Are No Longer Subtle About This This isn't just vendor marketing talk. Microsoft, Google, and CISA have all moved beyond recommending phishing-resistant authentication. They're now explicitly stating that traditional MFA is insufficient for modern threats. Microsoft's own security team published data showing that their employees using security keys had zero successful phishing attacks over an 18-month period. Zero. Not "fewer attacks" or "reduced impact,” but complete elimination of successful credential-based attacks. Google reported similar results across their workforce, noting that phishing-resistant authentication didn't just reduce attacks, it made entire categories of attacks impossible. CISA has been the most direct. Their recent memoranda don't dance around the issue: they explicitly state that SMS, voice calls, and push notifications "do not provide adequate security against sophisticated attacks" and mandate phishing-resistant methods for federal agencies. When the agency responsible for protecting critical infrastructure says your security method isn't good enough, it's time to listen. Getting Started Without Disrupting Operations The path forward doesn't require ripping out your existing infrastructure. Modern identity platforms support multiple authentication methods simultaneously, allowing you to migrate gradually while maintaining business continuity. So where can you start? Start with your highest-risk users including executives, IT administrators, and any users with access to financial systems or sensitive data. These users are most likely to be targeted by threat actors and can often cause the most damage if compromised. Leverage What you Already own: If you're using Microsoft 365 and Windows devices, Windows Hello for Business can be deployed without additional licensing costs. For organizations with mixed environments, Microsoft Authenticator Passwordless provides similar protection across platforms. Plan for User Adoption: While these methods are often easier to use than traditional MFA, change management remains crucial. Users need to understand not just how to use the new system, but why it matters. Three Questions Your Technology Leaders Should Be Able to Answer The next time you meet with IT leadership, ask them: What percentage of our security incidents started with compromised credentials? Are we using the most secure form of authentication for the applications we use every day? Which users in our organization are most likely to be targeted by sophisticated phishing campaigns? These questions will lead your IT leadership to the most secure path–a path without passwords. The Window Is Closing Here's the reality that keeps cybersecurity professionals awake at night: attacker-in-the-middle toolkits are becoming more sophisticated and more accessible every month. What required advanced technical skills two years ago can now be purchased as a service for a few hundred dollars. The organizations that recognize this shift and act proactively will maintain their competitive advantage and avoid becoming cautionary tales. Those that wait for a successful attack to drive change will find themselves implementing these solutions under pressure, often while simultaneously dealing with breach response, regulatory scrutiny, and customer trust issues. Your current MFA was a significant step forward when you implemented it. Phishing-resistant authentication represents the same magnitude of improvement over traditional MFA, that MFA represented over passwords alone. The difference is that this time, we know what we're defending against, and we have solutions that work. Technology exists today in products you likely already own. The business case is clear. The regulatory pressure is building. The only question left is whether you'll make this transition on your timeline or someone else's. This article is part of a series highlighting the critical areas where organizations must elevate their cybersecurity strategies for 2025 and beyond. Additional articles include: AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant 5 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach How Can Schneider Downs Help? If you have any questions about assessing and strengthening your organization’s cybersecurity program, contact our team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. About Cybersecurity Awareness Month Since 2004, the United States and Congress have recognized October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity in the public and private sectors and tribal communities. With a focus on securing our world, Cybersecurity Awareness Month recognizes the importance of taking daily action to reduce risks when online and connected to devices. Related Resources CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month Resource Center CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 Toolkit Schneider Downs Cybersecurity Resource Library About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### The Delay with the 2025 OMB Compliance Supplement As we move deeper into fall, many recipients of federal funding find themselves navigating a familiar yet frustrating challenge: the delayed release of the 2025 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Compliance Supplement. Traditionally issued in late spring, this critical document provides the framework for conducting Single Audits under Uniform Guidance. As of early October, however, the final version remains unreleased, leaving auditors and auditees in a holding pattern. What’s Causing the Delay? According to communications from the AICPA’s Governmental Audit Quality Center (GAQC), the delay stems from an administrative backlog at the OMB. While a draft version of the Supplement was made available to the GAQC in August, it has not yet received final clearance from OMB leadership. The GAQC has emphasized that this draft is for planning purposes only and cannot be used to issue final audit reports for fiscal years ending June 30, 2025. Why This Matters The Compliance Supplement is more than just a technical guide, it’s the playbook auditors rely on to test federal program compliance. Without it, auditors are prohibited from finalizing Single Audits, which has ripple effects for clients relying on timely audit reports for grantor deadlines, board reporting and continued funding. For example, HUD multifamily projects may require an owner-certified submission by September 30, followed by an audited submission once the Supplement is released. Similarly, state agencies like the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor have issued due date extensions for entities requiring a Federal Single Audit. Similar to what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the compliance supplement was delayed and required some later revisions, we anticipate there will be an extension on the deadline, though this has not yet been formally communicated. What We’re Doing at Schneider Downs Our team has been proactive in using the draft Supplement to begin planning 2025 engagements. We’re also closely monitoring updates from the GAQC and the OMB. As noted in GAQC Alert #488, auditors should not issue June 30, 2025, year-end Single Audits until the final Supplement is released. Looking Ahead The good news? The OMB has indicated that no significant changes are expected between the draft and final versions. But until the final Supplement is published, issuing Single Audit reports risks noncompliance and potential repercussions from federal agencies. We encourage our clients and colleagues to remain flexible and informed. While we await final clearance, consider separating financial statement audits from Single Audits where necessary to comply with lending and other requirements, and communicate early with funders about potential delays. If you have questions or need help preparing for your audit in light of the delay, please reach out to your Schneider Downs engagement team. About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met. To learn more, visit our Audit and Assurance page ### The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: DORA’s Approach to Exit Strategy and Termination What is DORA’s approach and process to exit strategy and termination? In earlier parts of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook series, we covered the three main types of concentration risk and how Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) addresses them through due diligence, stronger ICT contracting, and ongoing monitoring. In our final article, we focus on how DORA addresses concentration risk during the exit strategy and termination process, ensuring organizations can move away from over-reliance on a single ICT or cloud provider without compromising operational resilience. Although DORA is a very important regulation that includes new requirements for managing concentration risk, another unique framework exists in the area of financial organization governance known as Basel. The Basel Framework is a set of international banking regulations that must be followed by banks that are members of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). The BCBS is the primary global standard setter for the prudential regulation of banks. Member jurisdictions have agreed to fully implement these standards and apply them to internationally active banks in their regions. This alignment ensures that banks adhere to necessary regulatory adjustments and transitional arrangements, maintaining the stability and integrity of the global financial system. Although the Basel Framework is not targeted at third-party risk specifically, all of the requirements below incorporate elements related to identifying concentration risk areas: Pillar 2 (Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process - SREP) Bank Responsibilities –  Banks are expected to identify, measure, monitor, and manage all material risks, including concentration risk, under their internal capital adequacy assessment process (ICAAP). Supervisory Review –  Under Pillar 2, supervisors review and evaluate a bank's ICAAP to ensure it appropriately assesses concentration risk and maintains adequate capital to cover it. Concentration Risk in Pillar 2 –  This includes evaluating the potential impact of credit exposures to single counterparties or groups of connected counterparties, geographical locations, industry sectors, specific products, or service providers, according to the Bank for International Settlements.  Understanding the Large Exposures Framework and Its Role in Managing Concentration Risk The Large Exposures Framework complements Pillar 1 by limiting a bank's exposures to single or connected counterparties. A large exposure is defined as the sum of all exposures to a single counterparty (or connected group) that is 10% or more of a bank's Tier 1 capital. Generally, exposures to a single counterparty are limited to 25% of Tier 1 capital, with a tighter 15% limit for exposures between global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). This framework applies to various exposures in both the banking and trading books. For interconnected counterparties that could cause cascading failures, the limit applies to the combined exposures of the group. In conclusion, concentration risk is no longer a theoretical concern. It is a rapidly evolving and increasingly critical component of Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM). As organizations become more reliant on external vendors for essential services, the potential for operational, compliance, reputational, and cybersecurity disruptions due to over-reliance on a single provider, region, or service type becomes more pronounced. Preparing Your TPRM Program for the Future of Concentration Risk Looking ahead, we can expect continued development of regulatory frameworks such as DORA and Basel, along with new tools, controls, and best practices designed to help organizations identify, assess, and mitigate concentration risk more effectively. As this area matures, proactive engagement, diversified vendor strategies, and robust oversight mechanisms will be key to building a resilient and future-ready TPRM program. If you are overseeing your own TPRM program, the list of questions below can help you begin identifying concentration risk: How many specific vendors does our company leverage for data center / cloud hosting? Have we confirmed the service locations / area of operations for all of our vendors? Are these information / locations tracked? How many different solutions are used across the organization for meetings, calls, instant messages? Do we have a centralized support team, or is support assistance decentralized? How many different vendors do we use for staffing? Which of our vendors support multiple business units or functions across the organization? How many vendors within our population provide a service/product that is considered a sole provider with no backup options? Are Concentration Risk questions or factors included in our IRQ / Due Diligence process? Have we considered determining quantifiable characteristics for concentration risk by service type, business unit, or risk tier? This article is part of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook blog series, which explores how organizations can identify, assess, and mitigate concentration risk in third-party risk management programs. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs is a registered assessment firm with the Shared Assessments Group, the clear leader in third-party risk management guidance. Our personnel are experienced in all facets of vendor risk management, and have the credentials necessary (CTPRP, CISA, CISSP, etc.) to achieve meaningful results to help your organization effectively achieve new vendor risk management heights. For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm. ### September 2025 Market Recap U.S. equity markets seemed to have forgotten about the historical context that September has brought for investors. Historically, September has been the only month in which the S&P 500 index posts a negative average return. This September stood out for both its performance and stability. The S&P 500 index gained 3.7%, its strongest September return since 2009. Daily volatility was remarkably subdued, with no single trading day seeing a move greater than 1% in either direction – an occurrence seen only twice before since 1990 (September 1995 and September 2018). Notably, the 2018 instance preceded both a sharp market downturn and a government shutdown. The most recent U.S. government shutdown began just after midnight on October 1, 2025, following Congress’s failure to pass a funding bill. The previous shutdown lasted from December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019. Interestingly, during that period, the S&P 500 index advanced 10.3%, but had declined 17.1% in the lead-up from October 1st through December 21st. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the current shutdown, the market posted an 8.1% gain in the third quarter. With the S&P 500 Index up 14.8% year-to-date, following annual returns of 25.0% and 25.3% in the past two years—it remains to be seen whether this rally can persist. September marked the fifth consecutive monthly gain for the S&P 500. Key contributors included investor optimism following the Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point rate cut and expectations for two additional cuts before year-end. A surge in artificial intelligence-related stocks also boosted mega-cap technology companies, fueling market strength. The prospect of lower interest rates also buoyed small-cap stocks. The Russell 2000 index rose 3.1% in September and 12.4% during Q3. The 4.3% performance spread between the Russell 2000 and S&P 500 indices in Q3 2025 is the largest in favor of small-cap stocks since the first quarter of 2021. International equities (MSCI ACWI Ex-US) also had a strong month, returning over 3.6% for September, bringing the year-to-date returns to over 26% for 2025. Emerging Markets (MSCI Emerging Markets) had a very impressive month, returning almost 6.5% for the month of September and up over 26% for the year. Chinese equities (MSCI China Index) continue to push EM to new highs for the year returning almost 10% for the month of September, and over 40% for 2025. In asset allocation, every dog has its day. Given the surge in September to all-time highs, at this pace, international equities could get into of the best years ever by year end. Over the last nearly 40 years, this would already be a top 5 annual return with 3 of the other top 4 being early cycle recoveries out of bear markets or corrections. As stocks continued to advance in September, bonds also participated in strength of performance. The 10-year Treasury yield remained rangebound. After finishing August at 4.23%, the 10-year Treasury yield finished the month of September at 4.16%. Meanwhile, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 1.1% for the month and is up over 6.0% year-to-date. Municipal bonds also had a relatively strong performance for the asset class, outperforming their taxable counterparts. Despite yields falling for the month, income levels are still attractive for both taxable and tax-exempt fixed income. Given the starting yield of 4.44% on the U.S. Aggregate Bond index, the 10 yr. Treasury yield would need to rise over 5.00% over a 12-month basis to see a negative total return (holding bond spreads constant). Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan: IRS & Treasury Key Updates The 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan (“Plan”), released on September 30, lists projects that the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service plan to focus on. The projects, after input from interested parties, are those that have been determined to be the most important to taxpayers and tax administration. The Plan lists priorities for the period beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 and focuses on five main areas including: Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; Deregulation and burden reduction; Guidance addressing Tribal tax issues; Digital assets; and The SECURE 2.0 Act. New Projects Targeting Tax-Exempt Organizations Among the new projects, one will focus on the statutory restriction in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) that prohibits tax-exempt organizations from participating in or intervening in political campaigns—a rule commonly referred to as the Johnson Amendment. The second new initiative will examine how the fundamental public policy against racial discrimination, including recent legal developments, affects the eligibility of private schools to qualify for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Additional Provisions Affecting Tax-Exempt Organizations In addition to the new projects, a few of the provisions affecting tax-exempt organizations are listed below. A copy of the 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan can be accessed by clicking here. Final regulations under §4966 regarding donor advised funds, including excise taxes on sponsoring organizations and fund management. Proposed regulations were published on November 14, 2023. Guidance under §4960 regarding excess compensation paid by applicable tax-exempt organizations, including the expanded definition of “covered employee.” Regulations under §4945 regarding expenditure responsibility requirements. Guidance under §25F on the income tax credit for contributions of individuals to scholarship-granting organizations. Regulations under §4968 regarding excise tax based on investment income of certain private colleges and universities. Regulations under §6104 regarding the place for public inspection of materials relating to tax-exempt organizations, pensions and other plans. Guidance concerning the reporting of charitable contributions of trusts under §6034. If you would like further information on any of these areas, please contact Schneider Downs for any questions. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### 5 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach What are some practical and proactive steps organizations can take to improve their security posture? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the critical areas where organizations must elevate their cybersecurity strategies for 2025 and beyond. The focus of this article is on breach preparedness. In the aftermath of a cybersecurity breach, organizations identify critical gaps that could have dramatically reduced their impact, recovery time, and overall costs. This article shares decades of response team experience and post-incident analysis, highlighting 5 of the top preparations companies wish they’d implemented before a breach. These aren't exotic technologies, they're proven practices that transform organizations from reactive to proactive security postures. These preparations represent the difference between a manageable incident and potential business-threatening catastrophes. 1. Incident Response Plan (IRP) A written incident response plan provides step-by-step procedures, decision trees, and resource inventories that enable coordinated response rapidly without wasting critical time resolving conflicting approaches under pressure. Key components include contact information, a decision matrix, incident classification, procedures and templates. An effective IRP should include input from all relevant stakeholders and be specific enough to guide action, yet flexible enough for unique circumstances 2. Tabletop Exercises An untested IRP may be unhelpful when needed most. Regular testing reveals gaps, builds team competence, and transforms procedures into practiced capabilities. Effective testing progresses scenario complexity over time to gradually build team capabilities and confidence. Tests should include practical aspects of scenarios such as password changes or network isolation steps. Post-exercise reviews identify lessons learned and drive plan improvements. 3. Cyber Insurance Cyber insurance has evolved from a convenience to an essential risk management tool. Beyond financial protection, modern cyber insurance policies provide access to specialized incident response resources, legal expertise, and recovery services that many organizations cannot maintain in-house. Organizations should carefully assess coverage limits, exclusions, and requirements. Many policies mandate specific security controls and preparedness measures, creating positive reinforcement for good cybersecurity practices. Regular policy reviews ensure coverage keeps pace with organizational growth and evolving threat landscapes. Misrepresented controls in cyber insurance application/renewal forms can result in denied claims. 4. Logging, Alerting and Detection Logs provide the digital forensic foundation for incident investigation informing response efforts. Without proper logging, organizations operate blindly during critical moments. Settings should be adjusted from defaults to increase log details and volume to include network traffic, system logs, security logs and user activity. Active monitoring transforms data into actionable intelligence for early threat detection and rapid response. Success requires tuned detection rules, balanced alert thresholds, and trained personnel to reduce blind spots and minimize false positives. 5. Pentesting Penetration testing simulates sophisticated attacks to provide actionable intelligence that enables risk-based prioritization over theoretical severity scores. Organizations should go beyond compliance and perform preventative assessments to identify exploitable vulnerabilities, exceptions and attack paths for prioritized remediation. Regular testing establishes security maturity baselines, demonstrates ROI to executives, and transforms cybersecurity from cost center to competitive advantage while strengthening insurance and compliance positions. By revealing vulnerabilities before attackers find them, validating controls under realistic conditions, and building response capabilities, strategic penetration testing helps organizations thrive despite cyber threats. From Regret to Resilience The question is not whether an organization will face a cyber incident, but whether they will be prepared when it happens. These 5 preparations are the collective wisdom of organizations that have experienced cyber incidents and emerged stronger. Their regrets have become our roadmap to thrive in an increasingly digital world where cybersecurity resilience has become a defining characteristic of successful enterprises. The best time to implement these controls was yesterday. The second-best time is today. This article is part of a series highlighting the critical areas where organizations must elevate their cybersecurity strategies for 2025 and beyond. Additional articles include: AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Did You Use a Password to Login Today? You're Set Up for Failure! How Can Schneider Downs Help? For more information about implementing these cybersecurity preparations in your organization, or to access additional resources and tools, please contact our cybersecurity consulting team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. About Cybersecurity Awareness Month Since 2004, the United States and Congress have recognized October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity in the public and private sectors and tribal communities. With a focus on securing our world, Cybersecurity Awareness Month recognizes the importance of taking daily action to reduce risks when online and connected to devices. Related Resources CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month Resource Center CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 Toolkit Schneider Downs Cybersecurity Resource Library About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 5 Ways DORA Targets Concentration Risk Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), strengthens third-party risk management by targeting five key ways to identify, assess, and reduce concentration risk. In our previous article, we explored the three core types of concentration risk Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) programs must manage: vendor, geographic, and service. Building on that, let’s look at how DORA, the EU regulation for financial entities, pushes firms to identify, assess, and reduce each of those risks. Who Does DORA Apply To? DORA applies to EU financial entities (and certain ICT providers that support them). It requires a register of critical third parties, limits over-reliance on a small number of providers, and elevates expectations for contracts, monitoring, and exit. Definitions ICT = Information and Communications Technology—the systems and services (often third-party) that underpin your digital operations. CTPP = Critical ICT Third-Party Provider—an ICT vendor designated by European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) for direct oversight due to systemic importance. 1) Enhanced Due Diligence & Risk Assessment DORA raises the bar on what “good” due diligence looks like. Evaluate criticality of the ICT service and the single-point-of-failure risk (including fourth-/nth-party chains). Consider replaceability and realistic alternatives. Factor in third-country and subcontracting exposures into the risk rating. Align findings with your digital resilience strategy (not just a one-off checkbox). What to update: Due Diligence Questionnaire (DDQ) content, risk-tiering logic, and inherent risk models to explicitly score concentration, substitutability, and chain risk. 2) Stronger ICT Contract Requirements DORA expects contracts with ICT providers to be explicit and enforceable. Clear service scope, security obligations, and performance targets. Incident reporting timelines and defined Recovery Time Objective/Recovery Point Objective (RTO/RPO). Audit, testing, and access rights (including pen testing where proportionate). Data location/processing terms and portability assurances. Termination & exit clauses that work in practice (e.g., material breach, chronic under-performance). Why this matters for concentration: When you’re heavily reliant on a single provider, operable termination and exit rights are the safety valve that lets you move without chaos. 3) Ongoing Monitoring & Vendor Diversification DORA leans into a multi-vendor mindset where feasible. Monitor performance, incidents, resilience metrics, and subcontractors—not just once a year. Identify concentrations (by provider, region, service) and set thresholds that trigger remediation or diversification. Use portfolio-level dashboards to show where risk clusters are forming. What to add: Portfolio heatmaps, trigger thresholds (e.g., “no single vendor >40% of X”), and remediation playbooks. 4) Oversight Framework for Critical ICT Third-Party Providers (CTPPs) DORA creates a regulatory oversight lane for ICT providers designated as “critical” by the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs). ESAs can designate providers critical based on systemic impact and substitutability. CTPPs face direct oversight, inspections, resilience testing, and corrective actions. Lead Overseers can issue recommendations; non-compliance can lead to penalties and force financial entities to suspend or exit services. Practical takeaway: Monitor which of your vendors are or may become CTPPs—their status signals heightened scrutiny and elevated expectations for your program. 5) Exit Strategy & Termination Testing DORA treats exit as a designed capability, not an afterthought. Maintain tested exit plans (data portability, transition support, knowledge transfer). Validate time-to-cutover, licensing contingencies, and access during wind-down. Test exits periodically—beyond normal BCP/DR—to prove you can detach from a concentration in practice. What to test: Cloud/provider failover drills, escrow/portability of data and configs, role-based access during transition, and communications plans. Putting It Into Practice (checklist) Register: Maintain an up-to-date critical third-party register with concentration indicators. Score: Add concentration, substitutability, and chain risk to inherent/overall risk scoring. Contract: Standardize DORA-ready clauses (audit, RTO/RPO, reporting, data location, termination/exit). Monitor: Build portfolio heatmaps with thresholds that trigger diversification or remediation. Exit: Test your exit and cutover scenarios—treat them like fire drills. The Bottom Line DORA doesn’t just ask you to document concentration risk—it expects you to design around it. If you operationalize these five areas, you’ll reduce single-point-of-failure exposure, improve negotiating leverage, and be ready when regulators (or your board) ask the only question that matters: “If this provider fails, can we carry on?” This article is part of The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook blog series, which explores how organizations can identify, assess, and mitigate concentration risk in third-party risk management programs. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs is a registered assessment firm with the Shared Assessments Group, the clear leader in third-party risk management guidance. Our personnel are experienced in all facets of vendor risk management, and have the credentials necessary (CTPRP, CISA, CISSP, etc.) to achieve meaningful results to help your organization effectively achieve new vendor risk management heights. For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm. ### R&D Tax Credit Update: IRS Keeps Section G Optional for 2025 and Extends Feedback Window In a welcome move for businesses and tax practitioners, the IRS announced in IR-2025-99 (Oct. 1, 2025) that it will extend the comment period for the draft instructions to Form 6765, used to claim the Credit for Increasing Research Activities (R&D Tax Credit). Perhaps most welcome for taxpayers, the IRS confirmed that Section G of Form 6765 will remain optional for all filers for tax year 2025 – a relief for many navigating the evolving compliance landscape. More Time to Weigh In After releasing draft instructions in late 2024, the IRS received significant feedback from stakeholders requesting additional time to evaluate the changes. In response, the agency has extended the comment period through March 31, 2026. Tax professionals and taxpayers are encouraged to submit feedback to lbi.rt.team@irs.gov with the subject line “Instructions for Form 6765.” Final instructions are expected in January 2026, ahead of the 2025 filing season. Section G: Optional for Now, Mandatory Later Section G, which introduces new reporting requirements, will be optional for all filers in tax year 2025 (processing year 2026). However, starting in tax year 2026 (processing year 2027), Section G will become mandatory, with limited exceptions for: Qualified Small Businesses (QSBs) under Section 41(h)(3) claiming a reduced payroll tax credit. Taxpayers with qualified research expenditures (QREs) ≤ $1.5 million and gross receipts ≤ $50 million, determined at the control group level, filing an original return. This phased approach gives businesses time to prepare for the expanded reporting requirements while continuing to claim the credit without immediate changes. Refund Claim Transition Period Extended The IRS also extended the transition period for research credit refund claims through January 10, 2027. Taxpayers now have 45 days to perfect a claim before the IRS makes a final determination. For claims postmarked after June 18, 2024, the IRS requires: Identification of all business components related to the R&D tax credit. Description of research activities for each component. Disclosure of total QREs related to wages, supplies, and contract research. Form 6765 may be used to meet these substantiation requirements. Final Thoughts The IRS’s decision to keep Section G optional for 2025 offers a much-needed reprieve for businesses still adjusting to the evolving R&D credit landscape. With more time to provide feedback and prepare for future compliance, taxpayers and advisors should take advantage of this window to engage with the IRS and ensure readiness for 2026 and beyond. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs helps businesses identify and claim R&D tax credits across industries like manufacturing, software, logistics, and construction. Whether you need a full study or a review of your current calculation, our team can help you uncover opportunities and maximize your return. For more information contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Tax Services  Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### AI Governance in 2025: 3 Key Strategies to Protect Your Business and Stay Compliant Why is AI governance so important for organizational security and compliance? In support of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the critical areas where organizations must elevate their cybersecurity strategies for 2025 and beyond. The focus of this article is on AI governance. Organizations everywhere are rushing to implement some form of AI.  Some are integrating AI into their service offerings.  Others are allowing employees to use monthly subscription models, such as Claude and ChatGPT. A few are simply enabling employees to utilize built-in AI capabilities, like Microsoft’s CoPilot or Google’s Gemini. Regardless of the approach your organization is taking to integrate AI into its business processes, there are established standards and frameworks you can utilize to help you address governance concerns. One of the most comprehensive AI governance playbooks to date is the AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF), released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The NIST AI RMF lists four core functions of Govern, Map, Measure, and Manage.  Govern addresses the policies and practices around AI in an organization.  Map relates to the context mapping of the purpose, expectations, operations, and use of AI in an organization.  Measure relates to the measurement of AI risks.  Manage addresses the analysis of risk versus reward, aiming to answer the question, “Are the risks worth the reward with this AI deployment?” In alignment with the NIST AI RMF, the Schneider Downs Cybersecurity team suggests three key AI Governance strategies that can be used to protect your business and stay compliant: Data classification and AI usage policies AI-specific access controls and monitoring AI incident response plan 1. Data Classification and AI Usage Policies Organizations should have a data classification policy that defines the different types of data used in their day-to-day business processes.  Examples of classification types include public (website content), internal (policies and training materials), confidential (employee records and financial reports), and restricted (proprietary business materials, protected health information, and payment card information). Your organization’s data classification and AI usage policies should specifically mention the use of data with AI.  Beyond the expected “prohibited from use with AI” policy, your organization should also create “allowed to use” AI tool lists with specific use cases.  Consider creating different approval levels for data sensitivity and AI tool type.  AI technology is constantly evolving, so be sure to perform regular reviews of any AI policy.  Data classification and AI usage policies align this strategy with the NIST AI RMF Map (level 2) function. 2. AI-Specific Access Controls and Monitoring Access controls and monitoring should include the specific types of AI that are allowable.  Perhaps the organization only wants employees to use corporate-managed AI accounts versus personal subscription accounts.  AI tool usage can be monitored via logs and endpoint detection.  Be sure to create alerts for unauthorized AI tool access or anomalous data transfer patterns (specific to your business expectations/baselines).  Your organization should also schedule regular AI usage audits and include who has access and why they have access.  Continuous monitoring of AI risk levels, documented allow lists, and managing account types align this strategy with the NIST AI RMF Govern (level 4), Measure, and Manage functions. 3. AI Incident Response Plan (AI-IRP) At a minimum, AI should be included in your response plan.  It’s crucial to be prepared for the moments following a breach that might include AI.  The AI-IRP should include response steps for data leaks through AI prompts, model poisoning attempts (insider threat or otherwise), and prompt injections (phishing or other types).  Make sure your cybersecurity team members are properly trained for AI tool forensics and AI log analysis.  Also, they should be familiar with AI vendor security incident cooperation capabilities and policies.  Finally, create communication templates for notifying clients, stakeholders, and vendors of AI-related security incidents.  Managing AI risks and regularly documenting and managing response and recovery techniques aligns this strategy with the NIST AI RMF Manage (levels 3 and 4) function. This article is part of a series highlighting the critical areas where organizations must elevate their cybersecurity strategies for 2025 and beyond. Additional articles include: 5 Things Companies Wish They Did Before a Breach Did You Use a Password to Login Today? You're Set Up for Failure! About Cybersecurity Awareness Month Since 2004, the United States and Congress have recognized October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity in the public and private sectors and tribal communities. With a focus on securing our world, Cybersecurity Awareness Month recognizes the importance of taking daily action to reduce risks when online and connected to devices. Related Resources CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month Resource Center CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 Toolkit Schneider Downs Cybersecurity Resource Library About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### Liquidation Basis of Accounting in Pension Plan Termination Organizations are increasingly opting to terminate defined benefit (pension) plans in favor of more cost-effective alternatives, such as defined contribution plans. While terminating a pension plan may be strategically advantageous, the process is complex and often spans several years, requiring adherence to numerous regulatory and financial requirements. One critical aspect is the transition to the liquidation basis of accounting for the plan’s financial statements. When does the liquidation basis of accounting begin? Use of the liquidation basis is required once liquidation is imminent. In the case of plan termination, liquidation is imminent once an authorized party has approved the termination. For example, if the plan termination is approved in 2025, the liquidation basis does not begin until 2025. For 2024, the plan would still use an ongoing basis of accounting. What does the liquidation basis of accounting entail? Any administrative costs incurred to close out the plan will need to be accrued in the financial statements even if the costs are not paid until the subsequent year. This can include the costs due to an insurance company if dealing with an annuity buyout, the actuarial fee associated with determining the actuarial benefit obligation, the fee to the auditor for conducting the final audit, etc. Additionally, if the employer plans to make any contributions to ensure that the plan has sufficient funds for termination, the plan will need to record those contributions as a receivable, if not made before the plan’s current year-end. Interest income expected to be earned in liquidation should also be accrued when reporting under the liquidation basis. Note that this is not an all-inclusive list; it represents some of the common adjustments that will be needed. What if there are changes to initial estimates for accruals? If the company becomes aware of additional expenses that were not accrued, or changes in interest income expected to be earned, or if there are other unanticipated events that have occurred as a result of the plan termination, then the changes in the estimates would be made upon notification. For example, if there is an estimate for expenses at 12/31/24 (under liquidation) and there are additional costs that were not captured in the 12/31/24 financial statements, then the additional amount would be expensed in 2025. Key Considerations for a Successful Transition Given the extended timeline and potential complexity of pension plan termination, entities should proactively prepare for the transition to liquidation accounting as soon as liquidation becomes imminent. Plan management should engage both their plan auditor and ERISA counsel upon determination of termination. Maintaining accurate records and securing monthly trust statements will facilitate a smoother process and ensure compliance when preparing final financial statements.   The employee benefit plan team at Schneider Downs can assist with the accounting and auditing aspects of the plan termination. About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met. To learn more, visit our Audit and Assurance page ### Ohio Bill 96 Compliance Countdown: What You Need to Know Before the Deadline What is Ohio Bill 96, and what are the key deadlines, requirements, and action steps needed for compliance? Recently, there’s been significant discussion regarding Ohio Bill 96 and the new cybersecurity requirements outlined in Section 9.64.  The bill was signed by Governor DeWine on June 30th, 2025, and goes into effect on September 30th, 2025. Ohio Bill 96: Compliance Deadlines The compliance deadline for counties and cities is January 1st, 2026. School districts are required to comply by July 1st, 2026. The reporting and ransomware payment requirements outlined in Ohio Bill 96 will be effective beginning September 30th, 2025. Ohio Bill 96: Cybersecurity Incident and Ransomware Reporting Requirements The new cybersecurity incident and ransomware incident reporting requirements involve the legislative authority, the executive director of the division of homeland security within the department of public safety, and the auditor of the state. The legislative authority of a political subdivision must alert the executive director of the division of homeland security within the department of public safety as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the incident is discovered.  The legislative authority must also notify the auditor of the state as soon as possible, but no later than thirty days after the discovery of the incident. Ohio Bill 96: Ransomware Payment Requirements The new requirements state that the political subdivision is prohibited from paying or complying with ransom demands without first receiving approval.  The approval process requires the legislative authority of a political subdivision to formally approve the ransom demand within a resolution or ordinance.  The resolution or ordinance must specifically state the reasons for complying with the ransom demands and how that compliance is the best course of action for the political subdivision. Ohio Bill 96: Cybersecurity Program Requirements Entities covered by Ohio Bill 96 are required to implement  a cybersecurity program that aligns with best practices established by bodies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Center for Internet Security (CIS).  The goal is to  create a cybersecurity program that protects the “…data, information technology, and information technology resources to ensure availability, confidentiality, and integrity.”  Specific call-outs for the cybersecurity program include risk and impact identification, threat detection mechanisms, incident response plans, post-incident security measures, and employee cybersecurity training. The final portion of the new cybersecurity requirements states that cybersecurity programs, reporting of and any files associated with a cybersecurity incident or ransomware incident are not considered public records.  This could prevent threat actors from obtaining such records and developing additional attack plans. What’s the Bottom Line for Ohio Bill 96 Compliance? Entities are now required to move from a “nice to have” to a “required to have” cybersecurity posture.  Ransomware demands can no longer be met without a vote in most instances.  There are now fast reporting requirements, which will hopefully contribute to faster remediations and recoveries.   These requirements are forged by real-world incidents that occurred within the state (Cleveland, Columbus, Union County, and others). How Can Schneider Downs Help? We highly recommend that you read Ohio Bill 96 for yourself and reach out with any questions.  We are happy to speak to anyone who might have cybersecurity questions related to Ohio Bill 96. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### September Investment Corner – The Impact of Fed Rate Cuts On September 17th, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced a 0.25% cut to the federal funds rate, lowering the target range to 4.00%–4.25%. Powell cited rising risks to the job market and signs of labor market softness as key drivers behind the decision. The Federal Reserve operates under a dual mandate: to promote maximum employment and maintain stable prices. In addressing this mandate, Powell acknowledged that there is “no risk-free path” to balancing inflation and employment, emphasizing that both persistently high inflation and a weakening labor market pose significant risks. While financial markets anticipate additional rate cuts later in 2025, Powell cautioned that further adjustments are not guaranteed and will depend on evolving economic conditions, with the Fed remaining data-dependent. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which sets the federal funds target range, convenes eight times annually, with the next meeting scheduled for the final week of October. How do Federal Reserve rate cuts impact our daily lives? While decisions made by the Fed directly influence stock and bond markets both domestically and internationally, they also have indirect effects that are felt more locally. Although the federal funds rate isn’t one that typical consumers pay, many borrowing and savings rates are linked to it. Those with variable-rate loans or credit cards may see interest rates decline in the near term, though not necessarily right away. Fixed-rate loan holders won’t experience immediate changes to their current debt, but future market conditions may present refinancing opportunities. It’s important to note that not all loans respond equally. For instance, auto loans tend to react more quickly than mortgages, largely because they are shorter in duration. Mortgage rates, on the other hand, are more closely tied to movements in the 10-year Treasury yield, which is not directly controlled by the Fed. Finally, savings rates will be affected by the Federal Reserve’s latest action. Yields on short-term savings vehicles, such as money market funds, certificates of deposit (CDs), and Treasury Bills (T-Bills), are closely tied to the federal funds rate and will likely decline quickly in response to the recent rate cut. Ultimately, the Fed’s rate cut is more than a headline, it’s a shift that touches everything from loan payments to savings returns. As economic conditions evolve, so will the choices available to consumers navigating this changing financial environment Source/Inspiration: Federal Reserve cuts interest rates: Here’s what that means for you Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### The TPRM Concentration Risk Playbook: 3 Key Types of Concentration Risk In third-party risk management (TPRM), organizations must address three key types of concentration risk: vendor, geographic and service. Ever struggle to concentrate on mundane tasks after a long day sifting through 100+ emails? Now scale that to the daily oversight of a vendor portfolio of 1,000+. Overwhelming? Absolutely. TPRM practitioners know it’s a non-stop game of cat and mouse, but managing concentration risk can slow down this so-called game and allow your program to hone-in on what matters most. TPRM protects operations, data, and reputation whenever you rely on outside vendors. Concentration risk crops up when too much dependence accumulates around a single provider, location, or service line. This turns routine incidents into enterprise problems. As organizations lean harder on cloud, software, and specialized services, concentration risk now touches operational, compliance, reputational, and cybersecurity exposure across organizations of all sizes. The Three Faces of Concentration Risk and Real-World Examples 1) Vendor Concentration – Over-reliance on one provider increases single-point-of-failure risk. One cloud for everything (AWS or Azure or GCP). One law firm for all jurisdictions. One supplier for a critical component (e.g., lithium for EV batteries). 2) Geographic Concentration – Vendors and operations clustered in one region magnify exposure to natural disasters, conflict, or political shifts. All customer support in the Philippines (typhoons, unrest). Data centers concentrated in a single corridor (e.g., Northern Virginia; flood/fire risk elsewhere). IT services centralized in one geopolitical hotspot. 3) Service Concentration – Multiple critical functions sourced from the same provider create “blast radius” risk. One vendor for both payroll and benefits. A single partner managing cybersecurity, compliance, and privacy. One logistics firm for warehousing, shipping, and returns. How to Quickly Spot It Fast Heatmap your vendors by criticality × data sensitivity × substitutability. Stack-rank exposure: % of spend, % of transactions, or % of critical processes tied to one vendor/region/service. Map fourth parties (where practical) to see hidden clusters. How to Reduce It… Without Inflating Costs Segment and diversify: a primary + secondary model for crown-jewel services. Contract for resilience: exit rights, data portability, RTO/RPO targets, tested failover. Architect for portability: multi-AZ/region designs; avoid hard platform lock-in; standardize interfaces. Stagger dependencies: separate hosting from security monitoring, payroll from benefits, warehousing from shipping. Run scenarios: “If Vendor X is down for 72 hours, what breaks? What’s plan B?” Measure & report: set thresholds (e.g., “no single vendor >40% of critical process X”) and track exceptions. The Payoff Treating concentration risk as a design constraint, not an afterthought, yields a vendor ecosystem that’s diverse, flexible, and audit ready. It won’t eliminate incidents, but it keeps local problems from becoming enterprise crises, and it gives you leverage at the negotiating table. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs is a registered assessment firm with the Shared Assessments Group, the clear leader in third-party risk management guidance. Our personnel are experienced in all facets of vendor risk management, and have the credentials necessary (CTPRP, CISA, CISSP, etc.) to achieve meaningful results to help your organization effectively achieve new vendor risk management heights. For more information contact the team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or visit www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm.   ### The Economic Value of HITRUST Certification Does a HITRUST certification offer actual economic benefits beyond just meeting regulatory requirements? In a landscape where compliance investments must withstand scrutiny from all angles, decision-makers demand clarity around the tangible value of security certifications and often ask themselves, does achieving HITRUST certification simply check a box for regulators—or does it deliver measurable economic advantages worth the considerable effort? To answer these questions, we reviewed the findings of the HITRUST Alliance’s recent study to assess how the promise of ROI aligns with the realities facing organizations navigating a complex risk environment. About the Economic Value of Trust Study The HITRUST Alliance’s Enterprise Strategy Group conducted a comprehensive analysis to calculate ROI, leveraging proprietary financial models, industry-standard methodologies, and customer-reported data. The analysis applied conservative assumptions to assess the total cost of achieving HITRUST certification, including direct certification expenses and avoided costs. It also quantified a range of potential benefits, such as improved operational efficiency, reduced risk from fewer security breaches, enhanced regulatory compliance, minimized downtime, and incremental revenue opportunities driven by HITRUST certification. By capturing both cost savings and strategic value, the model attempts to provide a holistic view of HITRUST’s overall economic impact. Based on this approach, the Enterprise Strategy Group estimated a staggering 464% ROI for organizations that adopt the HITRUST certification framework. Below is our summary of the key aspects of the study including perspective on the study claims and realities of HITRUST certification. Does HITRUST Certification Reduce Cyber Insurance Costs? Claim: HITRUST certification allows for avoided costs tied to discounted cyber insurance premiums, including not only lower annual insurance costs but also improved coverage quality and administrative efficiency. Conclusion: Partially True While exact savings may vary, a growing number of insurance providers, including direct partners of the HITRUST Alliance, are offering reduced premiums for organizations reaching certification in HITRUST r2 validated assessments. However, these discounts are not universally applied, and organizations should not assume automatic reductions. Actual savings will depend on the insurer, broker, industry risk posture, and scope of coverage. Can HITRUST Deliver Operational Efficiency Savings? Claim: Organizations with HITRUST certifications reported that HITRUST’s structured and comprehensive approach enabled them to reuse documentation across frameworks, minimizing duplication and reducing the effort required for additional assessments. Conclusion: Partially True The unique combination and consideration of multiple frameworks does make documentation associated with HITRUST certification easier to leverage efforts across other frameworks. This rings especially true for organizations utilizing GRC automation tools such as Vanta or Drata. However, while HITRUST’s framework alignment can streamline evidence reuse, many customers and regulators still require organizations to maintain additional attestations or certifications such as SOC 2, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001. As a result, HITRUST certification alone does not necessarily eliminate the need for parallel compliance efforts, meaning efficiency gains are often incremental rather than absolute. Can HITRUST Certification Reduce the Likelihood of Cyber Incidents? Claim: Customers with HITRUST certifications reported reduced breach-related costs, minimized regulatory penalties, and avoided downtime. Conclusion: True* These claims are true for any organization with an elevated security posture, not just those with a HITRUST certification. Previous HITRUST reports have indicated that less than 1% of HITRUST-certified organizations have fallen victim to a cyber event. However, the degree of risk reduction depends heavily on the level of certification pursued, ranging from the baseline e1 (44 requirements), to the more moderate i1 (182 requirements), up to the rigorous r2 assessment (average of ~289 requirements). Each tier reflects a different depth of control maturity and assurance, and while higher-level certifications can provide stronger evidence of security and compliance, they also demand greater investment in time, cost, and operational discipline. Organizations should therefore view HITRUST as one component of a broader risk management strategy rather than a blanket guarantee of protection. Can HITRUST Certification Lead to Incremental Revenue Gains? Claim: HITRUST certification led to indirect revenue gains, including faster sales cycles due to pre-validated security posture, competitive differentiation in regulated industries, and the ability to command premium pricing in certain contracts. Conclusion: Plausible This claim is the hardest to quantify; however, the logic is sound. HITRUST certification is an indication of a mature environment and that security is baked into the ethos of the organization. This will often lead to services or products being more marketable and will in-turn increase revenue. It’s kind of like a professional sports team upgrading its training facility. The facility doesn’t win games, but it shows commitment to excellence and attracts top recruits, which ultimately improves performance on the field. Overall Conclusion on Economic Value of Trust: True  (Results May Vary) Overall, the benefits outlined within the report are true for all organizations with an elevated security posture. In turn, achieving HITRUST certification does indicate a mature environment and that the organization is security minded. Even if ROI isn’t 464% as the report indicates, it would be hard to deny some of the value provided by the certification as outlined within the report. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at: contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. ### OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Manufacturing Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect manufacturing organizations. Understanding these updates is critical to ensure compliance while also positioning your organization for long-term success. To help you better understand the potential impact of the OBBB, we’ve created a short video tailored specifically for manufacturing leaders. In this video, you’ll learn: How bonus depreciation and Section 179 expensing have been expanded What the change from EBIT to EBITDA under Section 163J means, and how it increases allowable interest deductions The new provision for Qualified Production Property (QPP) and how it enables full and immediate expensing of new manufacturing facilities The changes made to Section 174 R&D cost deductions, and how manufacturers can now expense domestic research costs immediately How manufacturers can prepare now by reviewing capital expenditures, updating tax planning models, reassessing financing strategies and revisiting R&D budgets For more resources related to the OBBB, please visit our dedicated OBBB Resource Center. How Can Schneider Downs Help? We hope this overview has helped clarify how the OBBB may affect your organization. At Schneider Downs, our manufacturing industry team brings deep expertise and practical insight to help you navigate complex legislative changes. For additional resources, please visit our resource page, where you’ll find webinars, articles, and tools tailored to the manufacturing sector. If you have questions about this legislation or would like to discuss how it may impact your organization, I would be glad to connect. We believe the best solutions come from meaningful conversations, so feel free to reach out to me directly at your convenience. ### OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Construction Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect construction organizations. Understanding these updates is critical to ensure compliance while also positioning your organization for long-term success. To help you better understand the potential impact of the OBBB, we’ve created a short video tailored specifically for construction leaders. In this video, you’ll learn: What the 199A deduction is and why its permanent extension benefits contractors How bonus depreciation has been restored to 100% and what the increased Section 179 limit means for businesses investing in new assets R&D cost deduction changes and how businesses can now deduct previously amortized expenses or amend past returns for quicker refunds New reporting rules, including what overtime reporting on W-2s enables for employee deductions and how the raised 1099 threshold reduces paperwork for contractors What accounting method flexibility now exists for residential contractors and why the elimination of the 179D deduction affects future energy-efficient building projects For more resources related to the OBBB, please visit our dedicated OBBB Resource Center. How Can Schneider Downs Help? We hope this overview has helped clarify how the OBBB may affect your organization. At Schneider Downs, our construction industry team brings deep expertise and practical insight to help you navigate complex legislative changes. For additional resources, please visit our resource page, where you’ll find webinars, articles, and tools tailored to the construction sector. If you have questions about this legislation or would like to discuss how it may impact your organization, I would be glad to connect. We believe the best solutions come from meaningful conversations, so feel free to reach out to me directly at your convenience. ### FASB Introduces Policy Election and Practical Expedient Alternatives Related to Credit Losses The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to address the challenges faced when applying the guidance in Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses. Specifically, the ASU applies to current accounts receivable and current contract assets arising from transactions under Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.   The amendments will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2025, and interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. Entities that elect the practical expedient and accounting policy election after the effective date will not need to perform a preferability assessment, as is typically required by ASC 2510-45-2, to determine if the accounting method is preferable to the existing policies and elections chosen by the entity.  Background: Stakeholders were concerned that identifying, analyzing, and documenting macroeconomic data required by Topic 326, such as unemployment rates and property values, can be costly and complex when estimating expected credit losses for these balances. They noted that this effort generally does not have a material effect on the estimate of expected credit losses for short-term assets. Additionally, stakeholders observed that estimating expected credit losses for current accounts receivable and contract assets collected before the financial statements are issued can require significant effort and documentation, potentially resulting in recording expected credit losses for amounts that have been subsequently collected. Stakeholders suggested that considering collection activity after the balance sheet date would provide more useful information to investors and reduce complexity for preparers.  ASU Overview: To address this stakeholder feedback, the amendments introduce a practical expedient for all entities and an accounting policy election for non-public business entities related to applying Subtopic 326-20 to current accounts receivable and contract assets arising from transactions under Topic 606.  The amendments affect the estimation of expected credit losses on current accounts receivable and contract assets arising from transactions under Topic 606, including those acquired in transactions under Topic 805, Business Combinations. The practical expedient may be applied by all entities, while the accounting policy election may be applied by entities other than public business entities.  The main provisions of the amendment include the following:  Practical Expedient: All entities may elect a practical expedient which assumes that current conditions as of the balance sheet date do not change for the remaining life of the asset when developing reasonable and supportable forecasts for estimating expected credit losses.  Accounting Policy Election: Entities other than public business entities that elect the practical expedient may make an accounting policy election to consider collection activity after the balance sheet date when estimating expected credit losses.  These amendments differ from current Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) by allowing entities to consider collection activity after the balance sheet date and by providing a practical expedient for developing forecasts. The practical expedient permits all reporting entities to assume no change in balance sheet date market, industry and other applicable conditions in building forecasts used to estimate these current assets. This adaptation is expected to provide decision-useful information to investors while reducing the time and effort needed to analyze and estimate credit losses for current accounts receivable and contract assets.  How Can Schneider Downs Help? If you or your organization has a need for assistance in interpreting or applying the above Accounting Standards Update, please reach out to Nick D. Lombardo, CPA or any other member of the Schneider Downs’ Accounting Advisory Services team.  ### The Two Types of Valuation Engagements What are the differences between valuation and calculation engagements? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Statements on Standards of Valuation Services (“SSVS”) identifies two types of engagements to estimate value: Valuation engagement – A valuation analyst performs a valuation engagement when (1) the engagement calls for the valuation analyst to estimate the value of a subject interest and (2) the valuation analyst estimates the value (as outlined in SSVS) and is free to apply the valuation approaches and methods he or she deems appropriate in the circumstances. The valuation analyst expresses the results of the valuation as a conclusion of value; the conclusion may be either a single amount or a range. Calculation engagement - A valuation analyst performs a calculation engagement when (1) the valuation analyst and the client agree on the valuation approaches and methods the valuation analyst will use and the extent of procedures the valuation analyst will perform in the process of calculating the value of a subject interest (these procedures will be more  limited than those of a valuation engagement) and (2) the valuation analyst calculates the  value in compliance with the agreement. The valuation analyst expresses the results of these procedures as a calculated value, which is expressed as a range or as a single amount. A calculation engagement does not include all of the procedures required for a valuation engagement. A valuation analyst may also perform more limited services under a consulting engagement, which is governed by the AICPA’s Statement on Standards for Consulting Services (“SSCS”). This type of engagement does not express an opinion or estimate of value. The nature and scope of work are determined solely by the agreement between the analyst and the client. Generally, the work is performed only for the use and benefit of the client. The two main organizations that often require valuation services, the Internal Revenue Service (in the case of estate and gift tax valuations) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (in the case of fair value valuations for public company financial reporting), generally prefer that a full valuation be performed when determining the value of an entity. In addition, an attorney might require a full valuation when preparing an analysis for a litigation matter. A consulting or calculation engagement is normally appropriate when it is not likely that the value will be reviewed by an outside party (e.g., the IRS or SEC) or be subject to litigation.  Examples of when a consulting or calculation engagement might be appropriate include: Helping clients understand the value of their company, to determine whether an offer to purchase their company is reasonable; Helping clients calculate a value for a potential acquisition target, in order to make a successful purchase offer; or Helping clients understand the value of their company for various corporate planning purposes (and the value will not be shared with outside parties). A consulting or calculation engagement can be time-saving alternatives to a full valuation; however, deciding which option is appropriate depends on the individual situation and should be discussed with your attorney and/or valuation analyst before you make a decision. Schneider Downs has significant experience providing business valuation services for a wide range of purposes. For more information, please contact Nick Lombardo (nlombardo@schneiderdowns.com) or Steve Thimons (sthimons@sdcpa.com) of our Business Advisory Group. About Schneider Downs Business Advisory Our experienced team of business advisors consisting of Certified Fraud Examiners, Certified in Valuation Analysts and Certified Mergers and Acquisition Advisors leverages its industry expertise to maximize value and minimize risk proactively or during acquisitions, litigation, arbitration, corporate reorganization and other major business events. To learn more, visit our dedicated Business Advisory page. ### FBI Issues Warning on Phantom Hacker Scam Targeting Senior Citizens Phantom hacker scams are on the rise, combining fake tech support calls, banking scams, and government impersonation to target victims’ life savings. Since 2024, the three-phased phantom hacker scam has cost Americans nearly $1 billion, and according to a recent FBI alert, it is making the rounds again. At its core, phantom hacking is a sophisticated impersonation scam. Threat actors use a phased approach to gain trust, access to devices, and ultimately money. Sadly, many victims lose their entire life savings, with senior citizens being frequent targets. How Does Phantom Hacker Scams Work? The phantom hacker scam, which was recently dramatized as a central scheme in the movie The Beekeeper, is often exaggerated on screen but in reality, still involves coordinated networks of scammers working together. Image Source: IC3.gov Unlike traditional scams, phantom hacker scams are layered and highly strategic. They focus on building trust and gaining access through a three-phase attack in which scammers impersonate technical support, financial institutions, and government officials. The goal is to convince victims that their money is at risk and needs to be protected, leading to significant financial loss through the three phases described below. Phase 1 – Technical Support Imposter The first phase often begins with a fake technical support representative posing as someone from an anti-virus or security company. Their goal is to trick the victim into downloading what appears to be a virus scanner but is actually malware that grants remote access. One common tactic is to display a pop-up warning that a computer is infected and provide a phone number for help. Calling that number connects the victim to the scammer, who pressures them to install the malicious software. Once access is gained, the scammer pretends to run a scan, claims a virus has been detected, and instructs the victim to open their financial accounts so they can “check” for issues. In reality, the scammer is looking for the largest balances to target. After identifying the most valuable account, they insist it has been compromised and warn that a representative from the financial institution will follow up. Sometimes the scammer even offers to connect the victim directly, setting the stage for the second phase. Phase  2 – Financial Institution Imposter Next, a different scammer poses as a representative from the victim’s bank or financial institution. They confirm that the account has been hacked and pressure the victim to move their money into a “safe” account through a wire transfer, cash withdrawal, or cryptocurrency transaction, often overseas. They also instruct the victim not to share details of the situation with anyone else, claiming it is for security purposes. In reality, this tactic prevents the victim from reaching out to a trusted source who could recognize the scam and intervene. Phase 3 – US Government Imposter In some cases, particularly if the targeted account is federal or government-related, the scam escalates further. A scammer posing as a U.S. government official contacts the victim to reinforce the illusion of legitimacy. This final step is designed to build additional trust, discourage the victim from seeking outside advice, and push them to complete the transfer of funds into a third-party account controlled by the scammers. How to Identify and Avoid Phantom Hackers Many people are familiar with deleting and reporting obvious phishing emails that impersonate legitimate organizations. Phantom hacker scams, however, are harder to spot because they add a human voice to the deception. This personal interaction creates a false sense of trust, and the methodical three-step approach is what makes phantom hacking a billion-dollar scam. To reduce your risk, it is important to avoid unsolicited communication from unknown individuals. The FBI also recommends the following steps to protect yourself: Do not click on unsolicited pop-ups, links sent via text messages, or attachments in emails. Do not call the phone number provided in a pop-up, text, or email. Do not download software at the request of someone you do not know. Do not allow an unknown individual to have remote control of your computer. Remember that the U.S. Government will never ask you to send money via wire transfer to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. If you believe you or someone you know is being targeted by a phantom hacker scam, report the activity to your local FBI field office or submit a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Phantom hacker scams demonstrate the importance of having a security program that protects both systems and employees. Even one compromised work computer can put an entire organization at risk of financial loss and data exposure. Schneider Downs helps businesses strengthen defenses through employee awareness, testing against phishing and social engineering, and safeguarding company devices. By making employees an active part of cybersecurity, organizations can better defend against evolving threats like phantom hacking. For more information, contact us at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com. ### OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Transportation & Logistics Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect transportation and logistics organizations. Understanding these updates is critical to ensure compliance while also positioning your organization for long-term success. To help you better understand the potential impact of the OBBB, we’ve created a short video tailored specifically for transportation and logistics leaders. https://youtu.be/eyQXVPZZcck In this video, you’ll learn: What bonus depreciation changes mean for asset-intensive businesses, including its taxpayer-friendly return The implications of interest expense limitations, especially for highly leveraged and asset-heavy companies Updates to R&D cost treatment, including the return to first-year expensing for qualified domestic costs How changes to credits and incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act may directly or indirectly affect your business Why mid-year tax projections and strategic planning are critical to maximizing tax benefits and minimizing liabilities For more resources related to the OBBB, please visit our dedicated OBBB Resource Center. How Can Schneider Downs Help? We hope this overview has helped clarify how the OBBB may affect your organization. At Schneider Downs, our transportation and logistics industry team brings deep expertise and practical insight to help you navigate complex legislative changes. For additional resources, please visit our resource page, where you’ll find webinars, articles, and tools tailored to the transportation and logistics sectors. If you have questions about this legislation or would like to discuss how it may impact your organization, I would be glad to connect. We believe the best solutions come from meaningful conversations, so feel free to reach out to me directly at your convenience. ### OBBB Video Series: Understanding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impacts on Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Organizations The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces significant changes that will affect not-for-profit and higher education organizations. Understanding these updates is critical to ensure compliance while also positioning your organization for long-term success. To help you better understand the potential impact of the OBBB, we’ve created a short video tailored specifically for not-for-profit and higher education leaders. In this video, you’ll learn: Which proposed tax provisions affecting not-for-profits were removed before the bill became law. How the endowment excise tax has been modified, including new thresholds and a tiered rate structure of up to 8%. What expanded reporting requirements higher education institutions now face. How the excess compensation excise tax has been broadened to cover more employees earning over $1 million. Other indirect changes that may affect the sector, such as new rules for charitable contributions, Form 1099 reporting, and clean energy credits. For more resources related to the OBBB, please visit our dedicated OBBB Resource Center. If you have questions about this legislation or would like to discuss how it may impact your organization, I would be glad to connect. We believe the best solutions come from meaningful conversations, so feel free to reach out to me directly at your convenience. How Can Schneider Downs Help? We hope this overview has helped clarify how the OBBB may affect your organization. At Schneider Downs, our not-for-profit industry team brings deep expertise and practical insight to help you navigate complex legislative changes. For additional resources, please visit our resource page, where you’ll find webinars, articles, and tools tailored to the higher education and not-for-profit sectors. ### The HITRUST Journey: The Last Three Steps to Expect Before You Certify This article is part of a series detailing the seven key steps to anticipate on the path to HITRUST certification. Check out the first article in the series here. Into the Fog You come out of incubation and the air is different. For months, your organization existed in relative calmness, with policies documented and acknowledged, configurations set and slept, and systems humming along in the background. But now, the silence breaks and ahead lies a gauntlet of auditors and what seems like endless document requests. What felt like routine governance suddenly reveals itself as a time-constrained campaign, and every decision, every document, and every test will determine whether you emerge with the standard of trust, or retreat with scars to repair. This is the reality of the HITRUST certification journey; not a checklist to be idly marked, but a complex journey fought in phases. Strategy matters. Allies matter. Preparation matters. And survival, compliance, certification, and trust belong only to those who are willing to navigate through the fog with discipline and resolve. The journey through HITRUST certification is demanding, sometimes exhausting, often consuming, but it is also clarifying. It forces organizations to surface what was once hidden, to harden what was once fragile, to coordinate what was once fragmented. And when the final report is issued, those who have endured know they’ve done more than check the box, they’ve survived a campaign and earned a seal that speaks of both credibility and grit. Step 5: The Validated Assessment – The Battle of the CSF The fog thickens, and the march turns into an open battle. This is the validated assessment, the clash of intent versus reality. Here, the External Assessor performs fieldwork and tests whether your claims survive contact with scrutiny. Performing Validation: The assessor validates pre-assessment scores, links required documents, executes the test plan, and completes the QA checklist. Time sheets, audit trails, and the representation letter become weapons and shields. This is where most of the hours are spent. Performing validation is the most grueling part of the campaign: assessors spend days and weeks combing through evidence, re-scoring pre-assessment judgments, and linking every screenshot, configuration, and attestation to the framework. The test plan drives hundreds of small exchanges, including requests for logs, clarification emails, system demos, and each one consumes time from both the assessment team and internal staff. Assessment Results Review: Once the bulk of validation is complete, the work shifts to the assessment results review. The entity and assessor sit shoulder-to-shoulder to acknowledge findings, accepting victories and recording wounds. Inputting Corrective Action Plans (CAPS) & Signing Rep Letter: CAPS are carved into the record, a pledge that gaps will not be left unguarded. The management representation letter is signed like a commander’s oath. Reviewing CAPs: The assessor validates these commitments, ensuring every promise is backed by real action. This is no longer theory on paper. It is proof standing under fire. The validated assessment reveals not just the state of your controls, but the strength of your coordination under pressure. Step 6: HITRUST Quality Assurance Review – Trial by Fire With the assessment complete, the campaign now passes to final judgment. Your file advances to HITRUST, where a tribunal dissects *a sample of* every word, every score, every justification. This is the trial by fire, a distant but unyielding review where survival depends on precision. Performing Check-In: HITRUST performs automated quality assurance (QA) checks, scanning for inconsistencies in documents and evidence. Addressing Check-In Tasks: If issues arise, new tasks are hurled back like flaming arrows, the entity and assessor must respond timely. Reviewing Pending Check-In Tasks: HITRUST evaluates the fixes. If gaps remain, the engagement loops again until resolution. Only when the defenses hold does the assessment move forward: Pending QA: The assessment sits in waiting, queued for its reserved QA block. Performing QA: The QA Analyst begins the full, impartial review of ratings, citations, and evidence under the microscope. This includes a review of a sample of control requirements in a live screen-sharing session with the External Assessor team. In this live session, the control references are randomly selected immediately before the call and the External Assessor team shares their screen and walks the HITRUST QA Analyst through each evaluative element and the associated evidence for each sampled control requirement. Escalated QA: If numerous and/or severe concerns are identified during QA, the Escalated QA phase will be triggered. This warrants an additional, internal review conducted by the HITRUST quality team and is more intensive than the standard QA process. Common reasons for Escalated QA include significant scoring inaccuracies, insufficient evidence to prove implementation, lack of rigor or testing inaccuracies, or extensive gaps. Addressing QA Tasks: More tasks may follow; remediation and clarification continue under fire. Only when every task is closed does the review advance. But the gauntlet is not finished. Reports must be drafted, revised, and approved: HITRUST prepares and executives review the draft deliverables; the entity approves or requests revisions. Additional drafts, revisions, and reporting tasks cycle through until every open question is resolved. This trial by fire is slow, relentless, and impartial. It demands not just accuracy, but endurance. The patience to close loop after loop until applicable weaknesses are fully understood. Step 7: Certification & Beyond – The Standard of Trust Finally, the verdict: certification is granted… or… not. Regardless, a validated assessment report is published, with it’s certifying decision one way or the other. On the one hand, The Standard of Trust earned. On the other, Trust may cease to exist for now. But the journey does not end here, it changes form. Certification is not a trophy to display; it is a banner raised over your organization, a signal to the market that you have endured and can be trusted. Validity: 1 year for e1 and i1 and two for the r2. Interim reviews and recertifications loom on the horizon. Continuous Vigilance: New controls, new threats, new regulations will arise. Certification is not the end of war but the beginning of stewardship. Sustained Discipline: Prepare for each cycle as if it were your first; remediate continuously; embed resilience into the daily rhythm of operations. Those who treat certification as a finish line often falter; those who treat it as a campaign standard to uphold lead their industries forward with credibility and strength. Certification is a call to remain vigilant, to adapt as threats evolve, and to prove, again and again, that trust is not a point in time, but a posture of resilience. Final Thoughts – Epilogue: From the Fog to Watchtower The fog lifts, the battlefield quiets, and what remains is not simply survival but transformation. Your organization has marched through the gauntlet, faced judgment, and emerged stronger. Certification is the seal, but the true victory is clarity: knowing your defenses, your gaps, your strengths, and your discipline. From here, you take your place on the watchtower, bearing the Standard of Trust, not as a survivor of one campaign, but as a leader ready for the next. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. ### August 2025 Market Recap The continuation of the market rally in August was driven by strong earnings from tech companies, especially those involved with AI, and growing investor optimism about upcoming interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. From its low point on April 8th, the S&P 500 index has advanced 29.7% over the 99 days from April 9th through August 29th. Concentration risk remains a concern within the U.S. equity space as the top 10 companies in the S&P500 account for nearly 40% of the index’s market capitalization. In August, four of these—Apple, Alphabet, Tesla, and Berkshire Hathaway—were responsible for 81% of the S&P 500's total return. While the rally initially began in a narrow fashion, it slightly broadened in August with small-cap and mid-cap stocks outperforming large-cap stocks. U.S. Large Cap equities finished the month up 2.1%, U.S. Mid-Caps up 2.5%, and U.S. Small Cap equities finished August up 7.1%, outperforming impressively. Large-cap stocks still maintain a big lead over their smaller-cap peers for the trailing 12 months ending August. After trailing their large-cap peers for the last few years, small-cap stocks may finally look more appealing to investors due to more attractive valuations and the anticipation of future interest rate cuts. International equities (MSCI ACWI Ex-US) also had a strong month, returning over 3.5% for August, bringing the year-to-date returns to over 22% for 2025. Emerging Markets (MSCI Emerging Markets) continued their relative performance and were up over 1.5% for the month of July and up almost 19% for the year. International equities, as a whole, posted positive returns for the month mainly due to a weakening in the U.S. dollar. U.S. Dollar depreciation remains one of the biggest tailwinds for international equities for 2025. As stocks continued to advance in August, bonds also participated in strength of performance.  The 10-year Treasury yield remained rangebound. After rising from 4.23% at the end of Q2 to 4.36% in July, it edged back down to finish August at 4.23%. Meanwhile, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 1.2% for the month and is up 5.0% year-to-date. Municipal bonds also had a relatively strong performance for the asset classes, although more moderate when compared to their taxable counterparts. That being said, income levels are attractive for both taxable and tax-exempt fixed income. Given the starting yield of 4.44% on the U.S. Aggregate Bond index, the 10 yr. Treasury yield would need to rise over 5.00% over a 12-month basis to see a negative total return (holding bond spreads constant). From a macro standpoint, the month began with heightened growth concerns following a weaker-than-expected July nonfarm payrolls report and significant downward revisions to May and June’s figures. This triggered a spike in Fed rate-cut expectations, reinforced by increasingly dovish Fed commentary. Trade developments also drew attention: after the August 1 deadline, Trump reinstated reciprocal tariffs on several countries, while a separate 90-day delay on China tariffs was agreed upon. Focus remained on bilateral deals still lacking key details. Tariffs dominated the Q2 earnings season, with many companies citing cost pressures. However, retail firms’ mitigation strategies were well received, as were signs of continued consumer spending despite evidence of consumers trading down to lower-cost options. Overall, Q2 earnings metrics were resilient. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### 7 Provisions of the OBBB That Provide a More Certain and Tax Efficient Environment for M&A Activity The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has many tax provisions that will be impactful to business owners in the next few years. Most significantly the bill extends, permanently, many provisions introduced by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that are favorable to business owners. Here are seven of the top provisions included in the bill that set up for a favorable environment for the next few years for business owners to consider significant acquisition or sale transactions. 1. Individual Income Tax Rates Permanent extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act income tax rates that were set to expire at the end of 2025. The top marginal tax rate remains at 37% instead of increasing to 39.6% providing 2.6% savings for those that may find themselves in the top bracket in a year of sale on any ordinary income. 2. Capital Gains Rates There are no provisions in the bill addressing the capital gains rates, however by omission it provides certainty that there will not be a change in this rate until a potential future tax bill, which is unlikely in the next few years. The top rate remains 20% for long-term gains. Most sale transactions will give rise to significant long-term capital gain income which is taxed at this beneficial tax rate. 3. 100% Bonus Depreciation Restores bonus depreciation back to 100% expensing and makes it permanent. Certain eligible property acquired through normal capex spend or through the acquisition of a trade or business is again eligible for a deduction of 100% of the cost in the year acquired and placed in service. 4. 163(j) Interest Deductibility Limitation Reverts back to the pre 2022 formula to determine the deductibility of interest expense on an annual basis equal to Tax EBITDA multiplied by 30% for tax year 2025 and thereafter. This allows for improved tax efficiency on transactions where debt is utilized to fund acquisition as compared to the limitation required for tax years 2022-2024. 5. Qualified Business Income Deduction Permanent extension of this deduction was introduced in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which was set to expire as of 12/31/25. Ordinary income arising from sales could effectively be taxed at 29.6% instead of 37% assuming a full deduction is available, and the owner is in the highest tax bracket. 6. State and Local Tax Deduction Limitation Increased and Preserved Work Around The Federal deduction increased from 10,000 to 40,000 (subject to phase out for high income earners) and preserved the deductibility of state income tax paid by pass-through entities without limitation in states with an available election. If a pass-through entity tax election is made in the year of sale and the sale is structured as an asset sale for tax purposes the selling business can deduct all state taxes paid as a business expense and pass the deduction through to owners without limitation rather than an individual Federal itemized deduction limited to $10,000 or $40,000. 7. Opportunity Zones (OZ) Extended The OZ program was made permanent, and gains realized in a sale transaction could be deferred by rolling into an OZ investment with the original Tax Cuts and Jobs Act basis step up programs enhanced for new investments in OZ property if held for the required time period. How Can Schneider Downs Help? For more information on the impact of the OBBB, please visit www.schneiderdowns.com/obbb or contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Tariffs and Construction: 3 Key Challenges Facing the Industry Today Tariffs are having a direct impact on the construction industry by driving up material costs, complicating project budgets and disrupting supply chains. They are changing how projects get built, priced and delivered. As companies face rising costs, tighter financial planning and reconfigured supply chains, many are being forced to rethink the way they operate. Here are three ways tariffs are currently reshaping the construction industry . 1. Material Costs and Procurement Volatility Tariffs on imported materials have driven up costs and injected a considerable amount of uncertainty into procurement planning. Companies are now facing longer lead times and have needed to shift their sourcing strategies to adapt to these changes. 2. Budgeting and Financial Forecasting The uncertainty of tariff policies has made it increasingly challenging to project multi-year financial forecasts. As a result, many companies are now building in larger variances, revisiting contract terms and adjusting cash flow models to better navigate the unpredictable landscape. 3. Supply Chain Reconfiguration In an effort to reduce exposure to tariff-affected areas, companies are reevaluating their sourcing strategies. This includes increasing supplier diversification and restructuring contracts to pass tariff costs downstream. As we learn more about how the current tariffs will impact the construction industry, strategic innovation and adaptability are crucial for preparing for the future. How Can Schneider Downs Help? If you have questions about navigating tariff uncertainty in the construction industry, our team is here to help. Contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Construction Services Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, Schneider Downs provides strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  To learn more, visit our Construction Industry Group page.   ### OBBB Section 174 Expensing – Further Guidance with a Tight Timeline for Small Businesses In July 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) delivered overdue relief to Taxpayers investing in domestic research and experimentation (R&E). If you are not caught up on these changes check out our article Section 174 Expensing Restored Under OBBB”. OBBB also left Taxpayers and practitioners with many questions regarding the practical implementation of the new legislation.   IRS Issues Rev. Proc. 2025-28 Cue the newly released Revenue Proc 2025-28, which outlines procedures for making certain elections under the OBBB for domestic research or experimental expenditures. Rev. Proc. 2025-28 provides the necessary guidance, elections and statements that large taxpayers will need to implement on their 2025 returns to resume full expensing. Most critically, we received guidance regarding steps small taxpayers must take to retroactively expense R&E.   Small taxpayers are on a tight timeline to file the necessary amendments with accompanying elections if they want to retroactively claim relief from domestic Section 174 amortization and depreciation. From the initial OBBB legislation, we were aware that Taxpayers making the small business election under the OBBB only had until July 6, 2026, to file amended returns with the necessary elections. However, the new guidance clarifies that some Taxpayers have an even shorter window for filing Tax Year 2022 amendments. OBBB did not modify or provide an exception to the statutory period of limitations on filing a claim for the credit or refund for the purposes of elections under OBBB. If a Taxpayer filed their 2022 tax return in the spring of 2023, that Taxpayer’s deadline to amend the 2022 Tax Return for a small business treatment for Section 174 would likely fall before the July 6, 2026, deadline. For example, if a calendar year-end C-Corporation timely filed their 2022 Tax Return by April 15, 2023, then their statute for amending the 2022 tax return will run on April 15, 2026.   This puts pressure on Taxpayers and their advisors to examine the most advantageous application of the options available to small businesses under OBBB. An eligible taxpayer making an election under OBBB generally must file an amended return for each taxable year affected by such elections, so small business Taxpayers are required to apply the election across all relevant tax years, rather than selectively applying it to just one.     Final Thoughts The OBBB’s revisions to Section 174 provide long overdue relief to Taxpayers with domestic R&E spend. Small businesses taxpayers must act quickly to determine the best pathway to take advantage of this relief. All Taxpayers and practitioners should pay close attention to Rev. Proc. 2025-28 to ensure the necessary elections and statements are included in Taxpayers’ returns.   How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs helps businesses identify and claim R&D tax credits across industries like manufacturing, software, logistics, and construction. Whether you need a full study or a review of your current calculation, our team can help you uncover opportunities and maximize your return. For more information contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### August Investment Corner – Crypto Week in Review The middle of July marked a pivotal moment for crypto regulation in the U.S. Three major bills debated in Congress, each aiming to define the future of digital currencies and blockchain technologies, were passed leading to elevated interest in Bitcoin and the future of cryptocurrencies as a whole. The legislation covers consumer protections, stablecoin oversight, and market structure reforms, with bipartisan support emerging around a clearer regulatory framework for the industry. GENIUS Act The first legislation passed was the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for United States Stablecoins) which establishes the first federal framework for stablecoins. A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to that of a currency or commodity such as the U.S. dollar. In this case, the regulation requires full dollar backing for all stablecoins, setting standards for issuers, including audit requirements and redemption rights. The passing of the GENIUS act opens the door for mass adoption of stablecoins in retail payments and could significantly increase demand for U.S. Treasury bills as stablecoin reserves grow. CLARITY Act The second legislation passed was the CLARITY Act, which defines the regulatory jurisdiction over digital assets. The act establishes criteria for whether a token falls under SEC or CFTC oversight using decentralization and functionality as guiding principles. The legislation ultimately designates crypto as a commodity, not a security, so the CFTC would regulate this rather than the SEC. The passing of the CLARITY act provides long-awaited legal certainty for crypto developers and investors. Anti-CBDC Act Finally, the third piece of legislation surrounding the cryptocurrency market was the Anti-CBDC Act which blocks the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Citing concerns over privacy, surveillance, and government overreach; the act prohibits the Fed from launching a digital dollar for consumer use. The impact of this bill reinforces the U.S. commitment to private-sector innovation in digital payments. These three landmark bills reshape the regulatory landscape for digital assets in the U.S. These developments signal a new era of legal clarity, institutional adoption, and market stability. The legislation is expected to catalyze capital flows into crypto markets, particularly stablecoins, tokenized assets, and regulated exchanges. If you have questions, our team would love to hear from you. Visit https://sdwealthmanagement.com/contact-us/ to start the conversation. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### IFRS Changes in 2025 The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) continue to evolve to provide greater transparency and comparability of the financial statements between reporting entities based on input from financial statement users and the business community to the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). This article covers most significant changes impacting international businesses following IFRS this year. Standard effective in 2025: Foreign Currency - The IASB provided additional flexibility to organizations operating in foreign countries where currencies cannot easily be exchanged. Under International Accounting Standard (IAS) 21, The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates, entities are now permitted to estimate a spot rate for currency translation in situations where there is no exchangeability. A lack of exchangeability may occur when governments restrict capital transfers inside and out of their nation or in markets with unofficial parallel currency markets. When companies choose to estimate a spot rate due to a lack of exchangeability, they must disclose the rate used, how they estimated this rate, the impact of not having an exchangeable rate at this subsidiary, and operating risks of business in an environment without exchangeable currencies. Recent standard that could have a significant impact in 2025: Classification of Liabilities - Effective in 2024, the amendments to IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements, could have a significant impact this year as many organizations face economic headwinds.  Under IAS 1, liabilities are classified as non-current if the entity has substantive rights to defer settlement for 12 months or longer at the end of the reporting period. The new amendment specifies that management’s intentions and expectations for rights under a liability no longer impact the liabilities classification as current or long-term. The right to defer liability settlement only exists if the entity complies with relevant conditions at the reporting date. This includes the passing of covenants or obtaining a waiver for failed covenants by the reporting date. Entities that fail their covenants at or before the reporting date, but do not obtain a waiver until after the reporting date, must classify the entire liability as current. On the other hand, only covenants before or on the measurement date are relevant to the long-term or short-term classification. Liabilities that breach their covenants subsequent to the reporting date, but were in compliance at the reporting date, should be classified as non-current if the right to defer the settlement extended for at least twelve months. Entities who anticipate challenges with covenants near the end of their reporting period should discuss this situation with their banks ahead of time to obtain a waiver before the measurement date. On the Horizon: IFRS 18, Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements, will impact every IFRS reporting entity as it replaces IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements. Many of the current principles will remain along with the same accounting recognition of transactions but could change where and how these are reported. IFRS 18 is effective January 1, 2027 and is applied retrospectively with early adoption permitted. IFRS 19, Subsidiaries without Public Accountability: Disclosures: Disclosures, provides disclosure relief for subsidiary entities whose statements are not subject to public accountability, but have a parent organization that prepares consolidated financial statements for public use. Schneider Downs provides a full range of services to international organizations including assurance, tax, and advisory services. For more information concerning global business matters and their impact to your organization, please visit the Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On blog or email us at contactSD@schneiderdowns.com. ### IRS Releases New Technical Guides on Tax-Exempt Organization Compliance In June, the IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities (TE/GE) Division published three new technical guides aimed at enhancing compliance among tax-exempt organizations. These resources offer clear guidance to help organizations fulfill obligations, avoid frequent errors, and ensure operations align with IRS standards. The summary below provides an overview of each guide and its key insights. TG 3-8: Inurement and Private Benefit, Taxes on Excess Benefit Transactions, and Enhanced IRS Examination Techniques The Tax Exempt and Government Entities (TE/GE) division released Technical Guide TG 3-8, which addresses issues related to inurement, private benefit, excess benefit transactions, and IRS examination techniques.  A summary of key concepts is below. Inurement and Private Benefits Explained: Both inurement and private benefit can jeopardize an organization’s tax-exempt status. Inurement occurs when a tax-exempt organization’s net earnings improperly benefit an insider.  Examples of this are unreasonable compensation or payment of excessive rents. Private benefit occurs when there is a benefit to individuals outside of the organization.  While inurement is strictly prohibited, private benefit may be permitted if the benefit is incidental, both qualitatively and qualitatively, and stems from furthering the organization’s tax-exempt purpose. . Private benefit can result from grants, awards, scholarships, or research that creates benefits for a particular business interest. Taxes Excess Benefit Transactions: Section 4958 imposes an excise tax on disqualified persons and organization managers who engage in excess benefit transactions.  An excess benefit transaction occurs when a disqualified person or organization manager receives a benefit exceeding fair value.  The initial tax is 25% of the excess benefit on each transaction.  If the excess benefit transaction is not corrected within the taxable period, an additional 200% tax on the excess benefit is imposed.  An additional 10% tax. limited to $20,000 per transaction,  is imposed on any organization manager who knowingly participated in the excess benefit transaction. IRS Examination Techniques TG 3-8 outlines IRS methods for identifying violations.  Some of these methods include reviewing Forms 1023 and 990, analyzing compensation, contracts, and fundraising agreements, and assessing insider status. TG 3-27: Foundation Classification TG 3-27 provides detailed guidance on miscellaneous public charity foundation classifications that are rarely encountered during the exemption application and examination processes.  The guide defines classification rules for organizations receiving tax-exempt status under IRC Sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(iv),(v), (ix) which includes organizations for the benefit of state and municipal colleges and universities, governmental units, and agricultural research organizations.  The guide also addresses organizations that test for public safety classified under Section 509(a)(4). This guide provides step-by-step instructions for completing Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption under Section 501(c)(3), and Form 8940, Request for Miscellaneous Determination. TG 70: Charitable Trusts TG 70 provides guidance on the classification, requirements, and tax obligations of non-exempt charitable trusts (NECTs)and split-interest trusts.  Both NECTs and split-interest trusts are subject to certain excise taxes under Chapters 41 and 42 pursuant to Section 4947. For any questions regarding the previously discussed Technical Guides, please contact Schneider Downs. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Strong IT General Controls, Smarter Technology: How Smaller Reporting Companies Can Innovate with Confidence Why are strong IT General Controls (ITGCs) essential for smaller reporting companies (SRCs) embracing automation and AI? For smaller reporting companies (SRCs), maintaining secure, reliable, and efficient IT systems is essential, particularly given their limited personnel and infrastructure. ITGCs, including access controls, change management, and data backup and recovery, provide a foundational framework to protect systems and data across the entire IT environment. These controls are especially valuable for SRCs, where well-targeted efforts can improve resilience and compliance without requiring significant cost or overhead. ITGCs as a Safeguard for Automation and AI in SRCs As SRCs increasingly adopt automation and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence to streamline operations, the role of ITGCs has grown significantly in managing associated risks. Historically seen as a lower risk area within an Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) audit, ITGCs now represent a critical safeguard, particularly where SRCs rely on automated processes like system generated reports and transaction processing. With fewer personnel to manually oversee systems, SRCs benefit from strong ITGCs that ensure these technologies function securely, accurately, and as intended, preventing unauthorized changes and mitigating failures. When automation does falter, ITGCs such as batch job monitoring provide a vital safety net, helping SRCs maintain operational integrity with limited resources. Securing Information Produced by the Entity (IPE) System reports and datasets used for financial reviews and audits are collectively referred to as IPE must be trustworthy. SRCs can gain immense value from ITGCs that properly control access, prevent unauthorized modifications, and ensure system stability. This allows management and auditors to rely on the data shown in key reports without requiring extensive manual validation, boosting confidence in the organization’s IT governance and ultimately, their financial records. Three ITGC Principles for SRCs Embracing Automation and AI As SRCs continue their journey toward automation and AI-driven efficiency, it’s vital they remain proactive in fortifying their internal controls with ITGCs being the key foundation that supports innovation, keeping these three principles top-of-mind: Automation Demands Accountability – Emerging technologies can streamline processes but without robust ITGCs, SRCs risk unintended consequences from system errors or unauthorized changes. AI Amplifies Control Complexity – The intelligence behind automation introduces new layers of risk making governance and oversight more critical than ever. Lean Teams Require Lean Safeguards – With limited personnel, SRCs must lean on well-implemented ITGCs to maintain integrity across automation systems. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs assists SRCs not subject to the SOX 404(b) auditor attestation requirement in achieving SOX compliance that aligns with management, and where necessary, external auditor, expectations. Our experienced team collaborates with companies to design and execute a cost-effective approach for management’s attestation of effective internal controls over financial reporting. For more information contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### July 2025 Market Recap The S&P 500 index continued its strong advance in July, hitting a record closing high in almost half (10 of 22) of the trading days. From its lowest point on April 8th, the S&P 500 index has advanced 27.7% through the end of July. Following an extremely volatile first five months of the year, daily stock returns have become more muted in the past two months. From January through May, the S&P 500 index moved by 1% or more in 36 of 102 days. However, in the past two months, the S&P 500 index moved by 1% or more in only 3 of 42 days. While equity indices advanced in July, not all stocks followed suit. In fact, 45% of all S&P 500 and 44% of all Russell 1000 were down in July. The market’s return was concentrated in July with 62% of all Russell 1000 stocks underperforming the market index and the S&P 500 monthly return coming solely from six stocks (Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Apple). Given the resurgence of six of the Magnificent Seven stocks in July, the strength of large-cap growth stocks and the suffering of small-cap stocks are evident both year-to-date and for the most recent 12 months. International equities took a breather in the month of July from the red-hot performance they returned for the first half of the year. The MSCI AC World ex U.S. (International Developed Equities) were down -0.26% for the month of July, but still up over 18% for the year. Emerging Markets continued their strong relative performance and were up 1.83% for the month of July and up over 17% for the year. Non-U.S. earnings continue to be the biggest headwind for international equities, and the weaker U.S. dollar has been the biggest tailwind aiding international returns. As stocks continued to advance in July, bonds took a bit of a breather. While the 10-Year Treasury yield traded in a fairly narrow range during the month; it rose from 4.23% at the end of June to 4.36% at the end of July. For the month, the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond index was down almost -0.3%. While the U.S. Aggregate bond index has seen yields fall from 4.91% to start the year to 4.36% as of the end of July, the Municipal bond index has seen yields rise from 3.74% to 4.02%. The largest driver has been bond supply as the Federal government has stepped back state support; in turn, states have gone to the municipal bond market for funding in the first half of the year. The tax equivalent yield is now north of 6% for investors given the absolute yield of 4%. Attractive tax-free income at these levels may not be receiving much attention in the current risk-on market environment, but it could be an attractive option for those investors focused on risk management. From a macro perspective, the Fed held rates steady at the 4.25% to 4.50% level again at the July meeting. Going into the Fed meeting, the thought was there is no need for rate cuts. The Q2 GDP blew out to the upside at 3%, and initial jobless claims posted another exceptionally low 218k. The jobs report at the end of the month brought the downside risks often cited by the Fed back into the light quickly. While the jobs report came in below estimates, the revisions were the big surprise. Revisions downward for May and June were larger than normal. The May report was revised down by 125k to 19k jobs and the change for June was revised down by 133k to 14k jobs. With these revisions, employment in May and June combined is 258k lower than previously reported. It is hard to say the labor market is solid if the job growth has been anemic. Before the jobs report, the bond market only priced in one cut for the rest of 2025 and the consensus was getting closer to no cuts. Now, the bond market is pricing in three cuts with one at the September, October, and December meetings. If you have questions about capital markets, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your SDWMA advisor. If you aren’t currently working with us, you can reach out via our website at https://sdwealthmanagement.com/contact-us/. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill o ### Accounting for Tariffs As global trade policies continue to fluctuate, many entities are reviewing how tariffs should be accounted for within their organizations. Tariffs are amounts owed on goods crossing international borders, generally levied on imports but can occasionally also be placed on certain export products.   Under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (U.S. GAAP), inventory on hand should include any tariff expense in the capitalized cost. This follows the same treatment as other costs incurred to acquire an item. As a result, tariff costs incurred should be considered when performing an assessment under the lower of cost or net realizable value (LCNRV) methodology.  Similarly, amounts incurred to pay tariffs should be included in both revenue on products sold and in the cost of goods sold. Tariff costs and revenue should be recorded at gross amounts and not netted together. This accounting methodology should be followed regardless of whether any additional revenue collected as a result of tariffs is shown on invoices to customers or is included within the product fee line. The rationale for this treatment is that U.S. GAAP wants revenue recognition to be consistent and comparable across companies and industries, whether or not companies elect to break these out for their customers. While U.S. GAAP does provide a practical expedient to net taxes collected from customers on behalf of a government, tariffs are excluded from this consideration as the company is not collecting the tariff itself.   Tariffs incurred to obtain long-term assets such as property, plant, and equipment should also be capitalized into the cost to place the asset into service. The capitalized tariff cost should then be considered when assessing future cash flows for any potential asset impairment.   Companies may face new complexities as they navigate through tariff uncertainty. Manufacturers and retailers with large inventory balances, along with capital-intensive businesses, should take time now to assess their accounting policies as changes in global trade policies could make the accounting for tariffs more significant.  Entities following the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) should follow a similar accounting treatment, as the accounting standards under revenue recognition and inventory valuation under U.S. GAAP and IFRS are now largely converged.   Schneider Downs provides a full range of services to manufacturing, retail, and international organizations including assurance, tax, and advisory services. For more information concerning global business matters and their impact on your organization, please visit the Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On blog or email us at contactSD@schneiderdowns.com.  ### Surge in PennDOT and E-ZPass Phishing Scams Targets Pennsylvania Drivers Scammers are targeting Pennsylvanians with fake messages posing as PennDOT, the Turnpike Commission, and E-ZPass. Here’s how to protect yourself. What’s old is new again. A fresh wave of scams are circulating across Pennsylvania, targeting residents with smishing and phishing attacks impersonating trusted state transportation agencies. Scammers are impersonating these agencies and pressuring people to pay supposed overdue tolls or fines. While these types of scams tend to resurface every so often, the recent increase in both frequency and sophistication has prompted action from state officials. The Senate Transportation Committee Chairs Judy Ward and Marty Flynn, along with House Transportation Committee Chairs Ed Neilson and Kerry Benninghoff, have issued an official warning to Pennsylvania residents. “These messages look official, but they’re nothing more than scams designed to steal your personal and financial information,” said Senator Flynn. “PennDOT does not collect tolls, and legitimate agencies will never ask for payment through unsolicited texts or emails.” As with most scams, it is the same old song and dance, just given a fresh coat of paint. Messages from unknown senders that contain links and create a sense of urgency are a major red flag. If the message mentions late toll payments, license suspension, or time-sensitive fines, it is likely a scam and should be reported and deleted immediately. To help protect yourself, keep the following tips in mind: Be cautious of unsolicited texts or emails that contain links, especially if they reference tolls, fines, or account issues Never send payment or financial information unless you have confirmed the request is legitimate Double-check agency names and details. For example, there is no such thing as the Pennsylvania Toll Agency, and PennDOT does not collect toll payments Log in directly through official websites or apps rather than clicking on links in a message If something feels off, trust your instincts and investigate before responding If you believe you clicked on a malicious link, secure your accounts immediately, monitor for unusual activity, and contact your financial institution to dispute any suspicious charges Watch out for senders that appear to be law firms or regulatory agencies. Scammers often use names that sound official to pressure you into acting quickly If you receive a communication and want to validate the legitimacy, you can contact the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s Customer Service Center at (877) 736-6727, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. You are also encouraged to report scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.   About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### You Can’t Pay by Check. Executive Order 14247 “Modernizing Payments to and From America’s Bank Account” and Its Impact on Federal Tax Payments and Refunds Earlier this year, President Trump signed Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments to and from America’s Bank Account. The order mandates the phase-out of paper check disbursements and receipts and is applicable to all federal agencies including the IRS. This order affects the way taxpayers will pay their taxes and receive refunds. Why the Change? The order cites substantial increases in mail theft since the COVID-19 pandemic along with reports that Department of the Treasury checks are 16 times more likely to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable or altered than are electronic funds transfers (ETF).  The order also touts operational efficiency as a reason for the push to digitize all payments—along with reducing the cost of maintaining the specialized technology required to digitize paper records, which was estimated to cost the taxpayer over $657 million in fiscal year 2024. Key Dates The order provides that all payments made to the federal government, including taxes, fines, fees, and loans, must be made electronically by September 30, 2025 (where permissible under existing law). Below are the key dates leading up to implementation on September 30, 2025. March 25, 2025: Executive Order 14247 signed. June 23, 2025: Implementation plans from heads of federal agencies were to be submitted. September 21, 2025: Deadline for the Treasury Secretary to submit a full implementation report detailing the progress. September 30, 2025: Scheduled phase-out of paper check payments. After this date, most payments to and from the IRS must be submitted electronically. October 15, 2025: Recommended deadline for taxpayers to be fully prepared for electronic payments, particularly those individuals that filed extensions of their individual income tax returns (Form 1040) that might have an overpayment or underpayment. On May 30, 2025, Treasury published in the Federal Register a request for information soliciting public comments by June 30, 2025. During the comment period, Treasury received close to 250 comments with the AICPA comments specifically requesting that the IRS and Treasury Department delay the deadline.  At this time there is no guarantee that the requirement will be delayed prior to September 30, 2025, so taxpayers need to be ready to comply. Who Needs To Act? While businesses are accustomed to paying tax obligations electronically due to various payment mandates in prior years, the order now applies to individuals. Section 3 of the order specifically lists Federal disbursements inclusive of intragovernmental payments, benefits payments, vendor payments, and tax refunds with limited exceptions described in Section 4. Federal agencies shall take appropriate action to eliminate the need for Treasury’s physical lockbox services and expedite requirements to receive payment of federal receipts, including fees, fines, loans, and taxes, through electronic means. The IRS currently offers numerous electronic payment options on its site. These include: On-line account. IRS Direct Pay - online transfers directly from a checking or savings account at no cost to taxpayer. Debit card, credit card, or digital wallet. (Note: this could be an expensive way to pay taxes as the credit card service charge is owed by the taxpayer. A 2% fee on $500,000 estimated tax payment would be $10,000.) Electronic Funds Withdrawal (EFW) – an integrated e-file/e-pay option offered when filing federal taxes electronically using tax preparation software through a tax professional or the IRS at IRS.gov/Payments. Electronic Federal Tax Payment Systems (EFTPS) - Allows payment of taxes online or by phone directly from a checking or savings account. There is no fee for this service. A taxpayer must enroll either online or by having an enrollment form mailed. Pay by Phone. Exceptions to the Executive Order: Section 4 of the executive order provides certain exceptions to the payment and collection mandate in limited circumstances including: Individuals who do not have access to banking services or electronic payment systems. Certain emergency payments where electronic disbursement would cause undue hardship, as contemplated in 31 C.F.R. Part 208. National security-related or law enforcement-related activities where non-EFT transactions are necessary or desirable. Other circumstances as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, as reflected in regulations or other guidance. Individuals or entities qualifying for an exception under this section or other applicable law shall be provided with alternative payment options. Next Steps As part of the order – and to ease the transition process – the Treasury Department will launch a comprehensive nationwide campaign to educate payment recipients on the transition and provide guidance for setting up electronic payment options. Unfortunately, no official guidance to date has been issued addressing the executive order. The IRS 2025 Form 1040-ES estimated tax instructions and the 2024 Form 1040 instructions do include electronic payment options, which might be applicable to the new requirements. Taxpayers should take time to familiarize themselves with all the current electronic payment options prior to the September 30, 2025, deadline to determine what method works best for them. Taxpayers and their advisors will need time to adjust to the new requirements. Schneider Downs will issue further guidance as additional information becomes available from Treasury and the IRS. Subscribe here to stay on top of this evolving issue and get real-time insights from Schneider Downs’ tax experts. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### 5 Ways Smaller Reporting Companies Can Gain Flexibility with SOX Smaller Reporting Companies (SRCs) can improve SOX compliance by using a risk-based approach to prioritize control testing and allocate resources effectively. As companies continue to evaluate their SOX compliance strategies, it's important to recognize that SRCs may take a more tailored, risk-based approach to their annual SOX testing, rather than defaulting to blanket testing of every key control listed in the risk and controls narrative. Here are five key considerations to help Smaller Reporting Companies prioritize SOX control testing effectively and strategically: Regulatory Flexibility: SRCs are not required to obtain auditor attestation on internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This allows for greater latitude in determining the scope and depth of control testing. Resource Optimization: Given typically limited audit budgets and lean staffing, SRCs can focus their testing efforts on controls that are most closely tied to higher-risk financial statement line items and processes. Risk-Based Prioritization: Annual testing should be aligned with a dynamic risk assessment. Controls linked to material financial line items, known process vulnerabilities, significant system changes, or fraud risks should be prioritized, while lower-risk areas may be rotated or tested less frequently. Testing Rotation Strategy: Controls identified as “key” within the narrative may not all warrant annual testing. If some controls show a strong historical operating effectiveness and present a lower risk, SRCs may choose to scope them out for Internal Audit SOX testing and rely on other forms of management testing. Documentation & Justification: It's critical to clearly document the rationale for control selection and rotation, supported by risk assessment findings. This establishes audit defensibility and aligns with best practices, even in the absence of an ICFR attestation. SRCs have the ability to shape their SOX testing framework around their evolving risks. By focusing resources on the most impactful areas, companies can ensure robust compliance while maintaining cost efficiency and operational focus. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs assists SRCs not subject to the SOX 404(b) auditor attestation requirement in achieving SOX compliance that aligns with management, and where necessary, external auditor, expectations. Our experienced team collaborates with companies to design and execute a cost-effective approach for management’s attestation of effective internal controls over financial reporting. For more information contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Western Pennsylvania’s Energy Future Western Pennsylvania is once again at the epicenter of America’s energy sector transformation. With vast natural gas reserves and a legacy of industrial innovation, the region is poised to power not just homes and businesses—but the next generation of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Recent announcements, including a $20 billion investment by Amazon in data centers and plans for the largest gas-powered power plant in the U.S. just outside Pittsburgh, underscore the area’s strategic importance. This surge in energy demand is driven by the exponential growth of AI and cloud computing. Over the next seven years, U.S. electricity consumption is projected to rise by 25%, a tenfold increase over the previous seven years. Western Pennsylvania’s ability to meet this demand hinges on its ability to modernize infrastructure and streamline regulatory processes. As highlighted at the recent Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University, the region’s success will depend on aligning policy, investment, and innovation. But this is not just about energy abundance—it’s about resilience and sustainability. Local utilities and developers are increasingly focused on building systems that are not only powerful but also adaptable to climate and cyber risks. As Pittsburgh Magazine recently noted, innovation in Western PA is “not theoretical—it’s operational,” with real-world projects already underway to enhance grid reliability and reduce emissions. In my view, the convergence of energy, technology, and policy in Western Pennsylvania offers a blueprint for national progress. By embracing its role as both an energy sector powerhouse and a digital launchpad, the region can help secure a more prosperous and sustainable future for the country. About Schneider Downs Energy & Resources Services The Schneider Downs Energy & Resources industry group provides specialized financial advice and services to our clients in the oil and gas, mining and aggregates, forest products and alternative fuel and energy industries throughout the Columbus and Pittsburgh regions. Our extensive knowledge of industry issues enables us to provide proactive audit, tax and management consulting services.   To learn more, visit our Energy and Resources Industry Group page.  ### Do You See Ghosts (Students)? Over the past few months, there has been a rise in concern about ghost students. Ghost students are individuals who enroll in an institution without the intention of completing any coursework, seeking a degree, or obtaining any certification, but solely to fraudulently obtain financial aid. According to a recent press release from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) it stated that, “a recent comprehensive analysis uncovered nearly $90 million disbursed to ineligible recipients.” This is another headache for the higher education sector, which has had challenges over the past few years with maintaining a robust and healthy enrollment. While many institutions have been reporting increases in both applications and enrollment over the past two years, it is important to dig into those upticks to ensure that you are not being ghosted. Institutions can focus on the following to detect potential issues: Look for unexplained surges in applications, FAFSA applications or course enrollments that do not match your institution's efforts to grow enrollment; Examine website traffic data for surges from overseas or outside your normal recruiting areas; Identify classes that are quickly and completely filled within minutes (or less) once enrollment opens; Look into students enrolling in online-only or similar options who do the minimum to stay enrolled (e.g., basic online forum posts that do not align with the content or requirements.) Although ED has recently made changes to the FAFSA process to better identify individuals seeking to perpetuate fraud, it is important to remain vigilant. This issue, coupled with proposed legislation on cost sharing of student loan defaults, could cause a significant issue for institutions’ budgets in the future if that proposed legislation is enacted, and if these types of frauds exist or persist at an institution. Although institutions have been targeted across the country, recent articles from Fortune and EdTech have highlighted the heightened vulnerability for community and technical colleges due to their enrollment models. Many of these institutions typically do not require an application fee and are typically admitting any and all eligible students, which makes it easier for fraudsters to perpetrate these schemes. Although the focus is on preventing fraud, ghost students can disrupt your existing student population, making it difficult for them to complete coursework due to unavailable classes, causing other issues with student satisfaction and degree completion/graduation rates. This is another reason to remain vigilant as risks within the higher education sector continue to evolve. A robust cybersecurity program, appropriate training for your financial aid professionals and engaging with the academic team will be important in both preventing and detecting these types of issues. The advisors at Schneider Downs can assist you in identifying and making recommendations on vulnerabilities to ensure that your institution isn’t ghosted. About Schneider Downs Higher Education Services The Schneider Downs Higher Education industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving institutions from high schools to universities. Our experience in audit and assurance, tax advisory, technology and data and more allow our professionals to stay ahead of the latest trends, developments and challenges within the education sector and provide timely and practical solutions to our clients.   To learn more, visit our Higher Education Industry Group page. ### The One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Green Energy Tax Credits Set to Expire There are key provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that have implications on investing in green energy related projects and assets. H.R. 1, formally titled “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14,” commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill, spans more than 1,100 pages and introduces sweeping changes across the tax landscape. Our previous articles took a closer look at how the One Big Beautiful Bill affects businesses and tax-exempt organizations in one piece, individual taxpayers along with estate and gift taxes in another, on state tax changes and what was left out of the final version of the bill in a third, followed by implications for businesses with international exposure. In this article, we highlight some of the green energy credits being terminated.   The Impact on Green Energy Credits Many green energy credits are being eliminated by OBBB, some sooner than others.  Individuals and businesses who were planning on utilizing these credits may need to take action soon before the deadlines.  The following credits have been terminated: Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credit – Terminates for vehicles acquired after 9/30/2025. Clean Vehicle Credit – Terminates for vehicles acquired after 9/30/2025. Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicles Credit – Terminates for vehicles acquired after 9/30/2025. Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit – Terminates for property placed in service after 6/30/2026. Energy-Efficient Home Improvement Credit – Terminates for property placed in service after 12/31/2025. Residential Clean Energy Credit – Terminates for expenditures made after 12/31/2025. New Energy-Efficient Home Credit – Terminates for any qualified new energy-efficient home acquired after 6/30/2026.   It’s important to appreciate the distinction in the terminology used in the termination provisions (“acquired” versus “placed in service” for example). Note that there are other green energy changes brought by OBBB that are of limited applicability to our clients and are not addressed here. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your organization, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center.   About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Benefits of Internal Audit Involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE Implementations What are the benefits of internal audit involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE implementations? As more companies embark on their transformation to SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE, a key contributor many see are Internal Audit (IA) controls support resources within the project. This role can be in the form of a part-time or full-time member, depending on the project size. And while it may initially be believed that including IA will slow down the process, the benefits usually greatly outweigh any negatives. Projects should demand skilled SAP audit resources that will add value. When dedicated teams and steering committees evaluate the cost of including IA on their SAP projects, they should consider the following key benefits:   Independent Risk Assessment Communicates clear, independent project progress to the board and upper management Helps protect the investment of the SAP S4/HANA and SAP RISE projects Helps to enhance documentation quality and organization; e.g., the project might be on increased alert to ensure documentation is in order if there’s a chance IA may be reviewing Assists with communication surrounding the external audit Our recommended approach is to follow projects throughout their lifecycle. This allows for better communication and education of auditor expectations, limits “surprises” and minimizes exceptions after the SAP go-live. Post implementation reviews still provide value, but preventing risks and issues prior to an audit is in the best interest of the project and the company implementing SAP.   Compliance Ensures Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) application controls are included in the testing plan Tests existing application controls within the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) phase Ensures that SOX IT general controls (ITGC) and business process controls frameworks are updated Ensures the SAP SOC 1 report is evaluated and documented   System Development (SDLC) Practices Ensures sound SDLC project practices are being followed, including but not limited to: The company’s SDLC policy requirements Project plan Design documentation Strategy documentation Test plans and results Security Data reconciliations   User Acceptance Testing Validates that production security roles are being used in the UAT phase Ensures that the UAT scope includes all key areas Ensure that proper business resources are involved with UAT testing Ensure that high-risk issues were closed prior to go-live and/or the proper mitigating controls are documented and operational Validates that UAT is completed and failed tests are remediated and retested Validates that there is a centralized issue log, and high-risk issues are fixed and retested prior to production go-live Go-live is formally approved   Data Reconciliation A data reconciliation strategy is in place that documents which data objects will be reconciled between the legacy application(s) and SAP S/4HANA/SAP RISE; this is a must to validate the completeness and accuracy of data being transferred to the new SAP environment Data reconciliations were completed within a reasonable time after go-live; typically, data reconciliations should be completed one month after go-live; any data differences should be explained and supported, and the overall reconciliations are formally approved Communicates expectations and provides an independent assessment of the data reconciliations and the Information Produced by the Entity (IPE) parameters requirements for data reconciliations; IPE parameters are required to understand when the reports were generated, what applications the reports come from and how the reports were generated to validate the completeness and accuracy of the data   Security SAP GRC ruleset was updated SAP roles changes were approved Obsolete transactions were removed from SAP custom roles and from the SAP GRC ruleset   Continuous Improvement Improve project control practices New functionality to be considered in a future project New application controls are being considered for SOX testing If you have any questions about internal audit involvement in SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE Implementations, contact our team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com.   About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance Services Schneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met. To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page. ### The OBBB and Its Impact on the Real Estate Industry What are key tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that may impact the Real Estate and Development industry? Congress has officially passed legislation making several adjustments to existing tax policy, bringing with it a number of major benefits for the real estate industry, including: Qualified Business Income Deduction: The OBBB keeps the 20% deduction and makes it permanent, while easing phase-out thresholds and adding a new baseline $400 deduction for those with modest qualifying income. The new phase-out thresholds increased from $100,000 to $150,000 for MFJ and $50,000 to $75,000 for single filers. State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction: The OBBB raises the cap to $40,000 for individuals and removes the cap entirely for pass-through entities, offering broader relief than the current $10,000 limit for individuals. Bonus Depreciation: The OBBB permanently restored to 100% for qualifying property placed in service after January 19, 2025, and an extension of manufacturing property receives similar treatment of 100% bonus if operational before 2031. Effectively, for 2025, before this change, a company with $500,000 of bonus eligible 5-year assets placed in service, would be able to deduct $260,000 as first-year depreciation ($200,000 of bonus and $60,000 on first year MACRS). Under the new law, on assets placed in service after January 19, 2025, the company would be able to take bonus on the full amount of $500,000, an additional $240,000 of depreciation deductions in 2025. Noteworthy as of the January 19, 2025 date, the understanding of a “written binding contract” is critical for determining applicable bonus depreciation percentage. Written Binding Contract: For property acquired in this manner, the acquisition date is the later of: Contract Date Date enforceable under state law Date all cancellation periods end Date all contingency clauses are satisfied   Section 179 expense limits: The OBBB increased the maximum deduction to $2.5 million, with a higher phase-out threshold of $4.0 million, further supporting small and mid-sized businesses in acquiring and upgrading assets. Business Interest Deduction – Section 163(j): The OBBB reverts the business interest deduction calculation, which had been changed to EBIT in tax years 2022-2024, to an EBITDA basis, permanently.  In capital-intensive businesses, the ability to add-back depreciation and amortization in the calculation is a huge benefit in reducing the large interest limitations some businesses may have previously had.  This change is especially advantageous for real estate and infrastructure projects that rely heavily on debt financing, as it allows for greater deductibility of interest expenses and improves project feasibility and return on investment.  However, for those who have made the Real Property Trade or Business election in years past, that is an irrevocable election, and so this change will not be impactful to those companies. Qualified Opportunity Zones: The OBBB revitalizes the Opportunity Zones (OZ) program by restructuring it to allow for rolling, 10-year designations starting in 2027, replacing the fixed-term approach. The OBBB continues the OZ designation process and enhances the eligibility requirements. These changes aim to provide more flexibility and predictability for investors, while ensuring that designated zones meet updated criteria for economic need. The enhancements are expected to attract sustained investment in underserved communities, driving long-term development and revitalization efforts. The OBBB provisions also maintain investor benefits with some modification. Deferral of Realized Gains – For investments made after December 31, 2026, the capital gain originally deferred as an eligible investment into a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) must be included in income in the taxable year that is earlier of: 1) the date the QOF interest was sold or exchanged or 2) the date five years after the investment was made in the QOF. Realized gains invested prior to December 31, 2026 must still be recognized by December 31, 2026. Basis Adjustment - A taxpayer who holds their QOF investment, originally invested after December 31, 2026, for five years will be eligible for a 10% basis step-up, applied when the taxpayer is required to recognize the original deferred gain into income. This adjustment will be 30% for designated “Rural” zones. Gain Exclusion - A taxpayer can elect to have the fair market value (FMV) of their QOF interest equal to the basis on the date that the investment is sold or exchanged if sold before 30 years after the investment date. If sold after the 30-year mark, it would be the FMV of the investment as of the 30-year holding period date. Excess Business Loss Deduction: The OBBB made the Excess Business Loss (EBL) limitation permanent, while maintaining the current treatment of carryforward losses, allowing these to be treated as NOLs used in the following years of income, subject to traditional NOL rules, ensuring that businesses experiencing temporary downturns can still benefit from tax relief in future profitable years, enhancing financial stability. New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC): The OBBB permanently extends the NMTC, which was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2025. This benefit can continue to be considered in planning for financing and capital needs of future projects in eligible areas. Low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC): The OBBB permanently increases the allocation of low-income housing tax credits to states by 12% and lowers the threshold for bond-financing to 25% starting in 2026. Section 179D Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction: The OBBB terminates the deduction for qualified property that begins construction after June 30, 2026. Section 45L Credit for Building Energy-Efficient Homes: The OBBB terminates the credit for homes either sold or leased after June 30, 2026. This termination will impact the economics of renewable energy projects and may require developers to reevaluate their financial metrics and models. Section 48E Wind and Solar Projects: The OBBB terminates the credit for Solar and Wind projects placed in service after December 31, 2027.  However, if construction begins by July 4, 2026, the project does not need to be placed in service before December 31, 2027.   This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. For more information on the impact of the OBBB on your company, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### McBreach: Vendor’s Use of '123456' Exposes 64 Million McDonald’s Job Applicants Would you like your personal data exposed because of a weak password? That’s the one question McDonald’s hiring website forgot to ask job applicants. According to NordPass, 123456 is the most common password of 2025 so far. It was also reportedly the password of choice for Paradox.ai, the vendor behind McHire, McDonald’s automated hiring and screening platform. Security researchers discovered a serious vulnerability in Paradox.ai’s system that allowed nearly all chat records with its AI assistant Olivia, including names, email addresses, and phone numbers, to be accessed using the default administrator email and a weak password, "123456." Fortunately, the issue was not found by malicious hackers, and Paradox.ai responded quickly by fixing the vulnerability within an hour of being alerted. All parties now believe that while the data was exposed, it was not accessed by bad actors. Paradox.ai has published a detailed statement, timeline, and launched a bug bounty program to encourage ethical disclosures in the future. So, if researchers found it and the issue was fixed quickly, why does this still matter?   Reputational Damage In many breaches, the vulnerability comes from a third-party vendor, but it is the brand that takes the reputational hit. A headline about a McDonald’s data breach draws more attention than the vendor’s name and often leads to public confusion. Casual readers may assume the breach affected customers or app users, and before long, the narrative shifts blame to McDonald’s. And while readers should look deeper, that does not always happen. In this case, McDonald’s quickly clarified that the issue originated with Paradox.ai and called the third-party vulnerability unacceptable to get ahead of any misunderstanding.   The Importance of Third-Party Risk Management Vendors are essential for most businesses, but each one adds third-party risk. Even if your organization has a strong security program, your vendors may not. Their risks become your own. It only takes one weak link to bring down the structure, like pulling a single card from the bottom of a house of cards. That is why a strong third-party risk management program is critical to protecting your operations, data, clients, and brand. If you have questions about assessing your current approach or starting a third-party risk management program, contact our third-party risk management team or learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/tprm.   Credential Security Is Everyone’s Responsibility We often hear about complex cyber-attacks like ransomware, deepfakes, and spear phishing. But basic security flaws like weak passwords still put organizations at risk. There is no excuse for using a password like 123456. And no, 123456789 is not better. Use a password manager and make credential security a core part of your information security program. Ask your vendors about their password policies and access controls and set clear security requirements from the first sales call. The more you understand their security posture, the better you can decide if they are the right fit for your organization.   Commit to Layered Protection and Password Security Beyond strong passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication, regularly clearing browser and temporary files, and avoiding storage of credentials in easily accessible locations can strengthen your credential security. It may sound basic, but simple habits still matter. It might feel outdated to remind people not to write passwords on sticky notes in 2025, but since this article is about someone using 123456 to protect administrator access on a hiring platform, I am fairly certain someone out there still has passwords written down. And no, hiding them under the desk does not make them any more secure. If you have any questions about your cybersecurity program, vendor requirements or third-party risk, contact our team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com.   About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### The HITRUST Journey: The First Four Steps to Expect Before You Certify This article is part of a series detailing the seven key steps to anticipate on the path to HITRUST certification. Check out the second article in the series here. HITRUST isn’t just a compliance checkbox. It is proof that your organization meets a high standard of security and risk management. Certification requires a rigorous, evidence-based process that requires planning, cross-functional coordination, and genuine readiness. Certification isn’t simply given. It’s earned. Here are the first four of seven key steps in your journey to certification. Step 1: Procure an Experienced Translator HITRUST has its own language and if you don’t speak it, you’re traveling abroad without a reliable translator. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in a foreign country without a card showing your hotel address in different languages, and you wouldn’t want to get caught roaming the vast lands of the HITRUST CSF without a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor. After all, they’re the one who ultimately submits validated assessments to HITRUST for quality review. That means they know the answers to the test that you will have to pass to obtain certification. Engaging an external assessor firm early on in your journey will save you and your team days of wandering unfamiliar areas for a semblance of familiarity. Step 2: Define Scope and Objectives What systems, data, and services are in scope? While this is a seemingly simple first question, it is everything. In fact, for experienced external assessors, it’s only the first instance in which this question will be asked. It continues to be revisited time and time again throughout your HITRUST journey to ensure you’re doing the right amount of assurance – not too little nor too much. Is certification motivation driven by prospective or current customer demands, market positioning and enablement, or internal maturity factors? What level of assurance do you need? Minimal, moderate, or high? Choose your assessment type (e1, i1, r2, etc.) – check out our more detailed breakdown of the assessment types here. Know that many organizations treat the e1, i1, r2 certifications like a maturity ladder. It benefits your organization to do so, as with each step in the ladder you will experience more. More controls, more attributes, more associated fees – with the same rigor. So, start small if you can and get good at the basics like anything else. If you end up choosing the r2 path, you will be subject to a more elaborate  scoping process where a handful of additional scoping factors (Organizational, Technical, Regulatory, etc.) are necessary to tailor your assessment. How long does this phase take? This phase is generally completed in a matter of weeks but does require some technical validation of your infrastructure and systems. Step 3: Readiness Assessment Before a validated assessment (certification), most organizations complete a readiness phase to: Perform a gap analysis against HITRUST CSF controls and identify missing policies, procedures, and technical proof. This is where you’ll work through the questions on the test to explain how you’ll answer it come validated assessment time. It’s a full walkthrough of your game plan, packed with a playbook on how to handle inevitable audibles in the thick of auditor testing. Prioritize remediation tasks by effort and risk. Controls are required to be “implemented” for 60-90 days, depending on the type of control, prior to initiating a validated assessment period. That is what HITRUST refers to as the “Incubation Period.” Therefore, it’s important to prioritize gap remediation to ensure your roadmap can be accomplished as efficiently as possible. Assessors should also be able to identify required gaps vs optional enhancements. The enhancement are things that are nice to have in the future, but not necessary to achieve compliance and certification now. How long does this phase take? This phase generally takes anywhere from 1 to 3 months, depending on the complexities of your infrastructure and systems. Remediate and Align This is where the heavy lifting happens. You’re now armed with the honey-do list of gaps to close, along with a prioritized roadmap. This phase is about executing the plan and checking back with your audit partner to ensure you did it the right way. In this phase, you will: Update or develop formal documentation – policies, procedures, standards, etc. Templates go a long way and good audit partner firms will have a library to get you started. Implement technical safeguards (MFA, logging & monitoring, encryption, etc.). This is a wide-ranging task, based on the number and type(s) of gaps previously identified. It could be as simple as enabling a dormant configuration to be as extensive as implementing a new SDLC process and supporting systems. Assign control owners, prepare evidence for each control, and align with your external assessor firm on its completeness and accuracy. Consider this an extension of the gap assessment that was previously completed to further validate that your newly remediated gaps are indeed remediated in the manner they’ll be tested. Develop testing efficiencies to allow for automated evidence collection and evaluation. Consider how you can integrate compliance and security operations in a continuous, systematic way, moving beyond point-in-time assessments to a model of continuous monitoring and risk mitigation. Good external assessor firms will be able to realize these efficiencies and relay discounts based on their own reduced audit efforts. Step 4: 90-day Incubation Period Once all of your readiness gaps have been closed and “implemented” (Congrats!) you get a free 90-day vacation. Well, sort of… HITRUST requires a 90-day “incubation period” for controls to be implemented (or 60 days for policies/procedures), before you can officially start your 90-examination period. In practice, you can begin that 90-day incubation clock as soon as the last gap is closed. During this period of peace, it’s the perfect opportunity to book that HITRUST QA reservation. Once your assessment is scoped and loaded into MyCSF, you’ll be able to reserve a date on the HITRUST QA Team’s calendar, much like that of an online dinner reservation (the kind of one that takes your credit card preauthorization). This is a key step to ensure you meet your timeline as the HITRUST QA Team’s availability fluctuates based on demand. You don’t want to overpromise your delivery date if the QA team can’t meet your needs. Additionally, the assessed entity can begin to work with the external assessor to preload MyCSF. While most of the controls will require time-stamped evidence from within your 90-day examination period, there’s still plenty your teams can do ahead of time to make the examination period run more smoothly.  This includes tasks like: Answering all pre-assessment questions, organization information, assessment options, assessment scope, scoping factor. Drafting all requirement statements and completing the validated report agreement Validating your internal documentation paths to ensure smooth and possibly automated evidence collection Our next article will share the final 3 steps to expect before you certify, including the 90-day examination period, quality assurance and certification, as well as a roadmap summarizing the full 7-phase lifecycle. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. Related Articles HITRUST Isn’t Just Another Compliance Checkbox. So What is It? What HITRUST Isn’t: 3 Common Myths Teeing Up Success: Build a HITRUST-Ready Program Without the Burnout ### Major Provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacting the Trucking Industry, Including Driver Overtime Pay The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, providing significant tax reform and updates to current tax law that should significantly benefit the U.S. trucking industry.Many of the provisions that were scheduled to expire at the end of 2025 have now been made permanent. With provisions aimed at boosting capital investment, easing financing burdens, and assisting families in passing on their businesses through an increased estate tax exemption, the OBBB provides multiple avenues for taxpayer-friendly planning opportunities for trucking firms while also leaving a major question mark related to driver overtime pay.No Tax on Overtime Pay?OBBB provides the ability for employees to deduct up to $12,500 of overtime pay yearly through December 31, 2028.  Taxpayers earning less than $150,000 ($300,000 filing joint) a year are eligible for the deduction.  If a taxpayer’s income threshold exceeds the proscribed amounts, the deduction will begin to phase out.Unfortunately, this provision may not in fact provide relief to many truck drivers due to the Motor Carrier Exemption of the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, which exempts drivers from the overtime pay rules. However, Schneider Downs and our partners are analyzing the potential impacts of this provision, since we know that drivers will want to understand the personal impact of this provision, and if over-road drivers are not eligible, employers will likely want to provide an explanation to their employees.We also understand that many transportation companies are concerned about the possibility of drivers exploring opportunities at other organizations that are eligible to pay drivers for overtime.  We will continue to monitor the situation related to overtime pay and provide additional insight as the dust settles. Section 199A: Boost for S Corps and PartnershipsOBBB makes the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction under Section 199A permanent at the 20% deduction rate. This provision will add certainty to tax planning for independent owner-operators and owners structured as pass-through entities, effectively permanently reducing  their Federal tax rate and improving after-tax income. Bonus Depreciation: 100% Write-Offs ExtendedA major win for the trucking industry is the permanent restoration of 100% bonus depreciation for qualified property, including trucks and trailers. This provision will allow businesses to immediately deduct the full cost of new equipment and other assets purchased after January 19, 2025, which could encourage investment in cleaner, more-efficient vehicles and reduce upfront capital costs. Section 174: R&D Deductibility RestoredOBBB reinstates the immediate deductibility of research and development (R&D) expenses incurred under Section 174 permanently for expenses incurred after December 31, 2024. To be fully deductible, the expenses must be incurred in the United States. Expenses incurred outside of the United States must still be amortized over 15 years. For trucking companies investing in logistics technology, route optimization software or alternative fuel systems, this change restores the full benefit of R&D spending.  Careful consideration should be taken in determining the best option for receiving the tax benefit related to any unamortized Section 174 costs, since the bill provides options depending on the size of your business. Section 163(j): Interest Deduction ReliefThe definition of adjusted taxable income under Section 163(j) permanently reverts to an EBITDA-based calculation (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. This change increases the amount of deductible business interest, benefiting capital-intensive trucking firms that rely on financing for fleet expansion or infrastructure development. Estate and Gift Tax Exemption: Planning for the FutureOBBB also permanently raises the estate and gift tax exemption to $15,000,000 for a single individual and up to $30,000,000 for joint filers. This will allow family-owned trucking businesses to transfer more wealth without triggering federal estate taxes.  This supports generational continuity and succession planning, a critical issue for many mid-sized trucking firms. Form 1099 Reporting ThresholdOBBB increases the threshold for information reporting requiring Form 1099 for certain payments to people engaged in a trade or business and payments for renumeration for services to $2,000 in a calendar year. This is up from $600 and will be indexed for inflation in the future for calendar years after 2026. ConclusionWith these provisions, OBBB delivers targeted relief and long-term incentives for the trucking industry. OBBB resolves the sunsetting of many of provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and should provide the trucking industry with the opportunity for growth and innovation into the future. The actual impact of “No Tax on Overtime Pay” is still not determined, but we will pass along additional information when it becomes available. Reach out to any members of our Schneider Downs Transportation Team with any questions! This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center.For more information on the impact of the OBBB on your company, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Cybersecurity Alert: Critical Zero-day Vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) in Microsoft SharePoint Server A critical zero-day security vulnerability affecting on-premises Microsoft SharePoint servers was recently discovered and reported by multiple sources this past weekend. This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild with no complete patch available for most SharePoint versions prior to the exploitation efforts attempted by multiple threat actors. The information below summarized the vulnerability and Indicators of Compromise (IOC) to search for if you believe you or your organization are affected. If you think your organization is impacted by CVE-2025-53770, please contact our team at cybersecurity@schneiderdowns.com.   CVE-2025-53770 Summary A critical zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) in Microsoft SharePoint Server is being actively exploited by threat actors worldwide. At least 75 servers have been confirmed compromised -- including U.S. federal, state and local agencies -- with an additional 9,000 exposed SharePoint instances globally at risk. The vulnerability allows attackers to gain complete control of SharePoint servers without any authentication or user interaction. Immediate Action Required: If you are running on-premises SharePoint servers, especially those accessible from the internet, you must consider implementing emergency mitigations immediately.   CVE-2025-53770 – What Happened? Attackers are exploiting a previously unknown vulnerability in SharePoint servers. This is known as a "zero day" attack because it targeted a previously unknown vulnerability. The attack allows complete takeover of SharePoint servers without requiring any login credentials. Government agencies, businesses, and institutions across the globe, including U.S. federal and state agencies, universities, energy companies, and an Asian telecom provider have been compromised.   CVE-2025-53770 – Assessing Risk and Impact You are at risk if: You run SharePoint Server 2016, 2019, or Subscription Edition on your own servers (on-premises) Your SharePoint servers are accessible from the internet You have not yet implemented Microsoft's emergency mitigations You are NOT affected if: You use SharePoint Online as part of Microsoft 365 (cloud-based SharePoint) Your SharePoint servers are completely isolated from the internet   CVE-2025-53770 – Immediate Actions to Take Assume compromise if your SharePoint servers are internet-facing Enable Microsoft's recommended security features (AMSI and Defender) If you cannot enable these protections, disconnect SharePoint from the internet immediately Begin incident response procedures to check for compromise Prepare to rotate all system secrets and credentials   CVE-2025-53770 – Technical Details CVE: CVE-2025-53770 (and related CVE-2025-53771) CVSS Score: 9.8 (Critical) Attack Vector: Network Authentication: None required User Interaction: None required Impact: Complete system compromise The vulnerability involves deserialization of untrusted data in on-premises Microsoft SharePoint Server, allowing an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. CVE-2025-53770 provides more robust protections than CVE-2025-49704 (patched in July), while CVE-2025-53771 provides more robust protections than CVE-2025-49706.   CVE-2025-53770 – Attack Methodology The attack, dubbed "ToolShell," works through a simple process: Attacker sends a crafted POST request to /_layouts/15/ToolPane.aspx with a spoofed HTTP Referer header. This bypasses authentication and allows file upload without credentials. Attackers upload a file named "spinstall0.aspx," which is used to steal the Microsoft SharePoint server's MachineKey configuration, including the ValidationKey and DecryptionKey. With these keys, attackers can forge valid requests and maintain permanent access.   CVE-2025-53770 – Indicators of Compromise File Indicators Primary malicious file: Filename: spinstall0.aspx Location: C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\WEBSER~1\16\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\spinstall0.aspx SHA256: 92bb4ddb98eeaf11fc15bb32e71d0a63256a0ed826a03ba293ce3a8bf057a514   Network Indicators Known attacker IP addresses: 107.191.58.76 104.238.159.149 96.9.125.147 HTTP Request Pattern: POST requests to: /_layouts/15/ToolPane.aspx?DisplayMode=Edit&a=/ToolPane.aspx HTTP Referer: /_layouts/SignOut.aspx User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:120.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/120.0 Additional File Hashes (from related attacks): 4a02a72aedc3356d8cb38f01f0e0b9f26ddc5ccb7c0f04a561337cf24aa84030 b39c14becb62aeb55df7fd55c814afbb0d659687d947d917512fe67973100b70 fa3a74a6c015c801f5341c02be2cbdfb301c6ed60633d49fc0bc723617741af7   Download Security Updates: SharePoint Server 2019: KB5002754 SharePoint Subscription Edition: KB5002768 SharePoint Server 2016: No patch available yet - check Microsoft's advisory for updates   References: Microsoft Security Response Center: https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2025/07/customer-guidance-for-sharepoint-vulnerability-cve-2025-53770/ CVE-2025-53770 Details: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-53770 CVE-2025-53771 Details: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-53771 CISA Advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2025/07/20/microsoft-releases-guidance-exploitation-sharepoint-vulnerability-cve-2025-53770 ### Investment Corner: Dollar Pains, Global Gains - The FX Factor in 2025 Market Performance The falling U.S. dollar continues to be the most important driver of multi-asset investing in 2025. The first half of 2025 saw the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) fall over 10%, experiencing one of the worst first-half performances in the past 50 years (see chart below).  Although a falling dollar may sound ominous, it has helped lift risk assets more broadly.  International Equities (represented by the MSCI ACWI ex US) returned +19% for the first half of 2025 - one of the strongest 6-month returns in recent memory. Almost half of this return was generated from a falling U.S. Dollar1. Given the current economic outlook for the U.S. of slower growth, rising federal debt, and continuous trade deficits, this should put downward pressure on the exchange rate, further supporting international equities. Source: Bloomberg, FactSet, J.P. Morgan Asset Management; (Left) ICE; (Top right) BEA; (Bottom right) BIS. Currencies in the DXY Index are: British pound, Canadian dollar, euro, Japanese yen, Swedish krona and Swiss franc. *Interest rate differential is the difference between the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield and a basket of the 10-year yields of each major trading partner (Australia, Canada, eurozone, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and UK). Weights in the basket are calculated using the 10-year average of total government bonds outstanding in each region. Guide to the Markets – U.S. Data are as of June 30, 2025. As we look ahead to the second half of the year, the biggest question is: can the U.S. dollar continue falling at this pace? Experience teaches us that long-term investors shouldn’t attempt short-term trades. Those who sold equities in April missed the subsequent 25% rally in the S&P 500 from the bottom. The same principle applies to currencies—despite the downward trend in the U.S. dollar so far this year, that trend could easily reverse.   Source: FactSet. To receive our market updates, please visit www.sdwealthmanagement.com and subscribe to our emails. About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Schneider Downs Wealth Management has been providing investment and retirement services since 2000. Although our service platforms continue to evolve, commitment to our clients remains our first priority. Our service is tailored to your individualized goals but built on the fundamental principles of our practice: fiduciary guidance, fee transparency and goal-based decision making. To learn more, visit our dedicated Wealth Management page. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. Sources: Source: FactSet, MSCI, Standard & Poor’s, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. 15-years ann. is a rolling 15-year period ending with the previous month-end. All return values are MSCI Gross Index data, except the U.S., which is the S&P 500. *Multiple expansion is based on the forward P/E ratio, and EPS growth outlook is based on NTMA earnings estimates. Chart is for illustrative purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Guide to the Markets – U.S. Data are as of June 30, 2025. ### The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Makes Two Changes to the Income Tax Reporting of Residential Construction Contracts How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact Residential Construction Contracts? The OBBB made two significant and favorable changes to the income tax rules related to residential construction contracts entered into in tax years beginning after July 4, 2025. First Income Tax Reporting Change The OBBB expands the exception to the percentage-of-completion method of accounting to include residential construction contracts. For tax purposes. Residential construction contracts are defined differently from home construction contracts; the primary difference is the number of dwelling units in the building. (In general, home contracts contain four or fewer units, and residential contracts contain more than four dwelling units.) The Internal Revenue Code has always provided favorable tax treatment to home construction contracts. One of the most favorable benefits was that the requirement to use the percentage-of-completion method of accounting does not apply to home construction contracts. A home construction contract is defined as any construction contracts where 80% or more of the total estimated contract costs, as of the close of the tax year in which the contract was entered into, are reasonably expected to be attributable to the building, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of (1) dwelling units contained in buildings containing four or fewer dwelling units (with each townhouse or rowhouse treated as a separate building), and (2) improvements to real property directly related to such dwelling units and located on the site of such dwelling units. Residential construction contracts are contracts, other than home construction contracts, for which 80% or more of the total estimated costs under the contract are reasonably expected to be attributable to the building, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of, or improvements to, real estate directly related to and located on the site of dwelling units.  A dwelling unit, for purposes of this exception, is a house or apartment used to provide living accommodations in a building or structure, but does not include a hotel, motel, inn or other establishment where more than one-half of the units are used on a transient basis. Second Income Tax Reporting Change The second material change that the OBBB made to residential construction contracts is that an alternative minimum tax (AMT) adjustment is no longer required for any residential construction contracts entered into in a tax year after July 4, 2025. The elimination of the AMT adjustment further aligns the tax treatment of residential and home construction contacts because home construction contracts have long benefited from the fact that an AMT adjustment was not required on home construction contracts. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. For more information on the impact of the OBBB on your company, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Construction Services Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, Schneider Downs provides strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  To learn more, visit our Construction Industry Group page.   ### How does the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Impact the Energy and Natural Resources Industry? The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) introduced sweeping income tax changes that will significantly affect businesses in the energy and natural resources sector, especially those involved in natural gas and coal production, development, and transportation. Below are seven of the OBBB’s most important income tax implications for the energy and natural resources sector: Depreciation Changes The OBBB permanently extends 100% bonus depreciation (previously scheduled to drop to 40% in 2025) for qualifying property placed in service after January 19, 2025. This applies to assets commonly used in the natural gas and coal sectors, such as drilling equipment, vehicles, pipelines, tangible drilling costs, and other property with a recovery period of 20 years or less. In addition, the Section 179 expensing limit increases to $2.5 million, and the investment limitation increases to $4 million starting in 2025, with future inflation adjustments. These changes provide significant opportunities to accelerate deductions on equipment and infrastructure investments. Section 163(j) Interest Deduction Changes The OBBB permanently reverts the §163(j) limitation from EBIT back to EBITDA for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. Adjusted taxable income can be computed without a reduction for depreciation, amortization, or depletion, thereby allowing a larger amount of interest that can be deducted. This change increases allowable interest deductions and particularly benefits capital-intensive development companies. Qualified Business Income Deduction The OBBB makes permanent the 20% deduction of ordinary business income from qualified pass-through entities. For privately held natural gas producers, coal operators, and related service providers structured as partnerships, LLCs, or S corporations, this deduction effectively lowers the top individual effective tax rate from 37% to 29.6%. This deduction, previously set to expire at the end of 2025, is now permanent and provides welcome certainty for owners and investors. Expensing of Qualified Research and Experimental Expenses (QREs) Beginning in 2022, domestic QREs had to be capitalized and amortized over six years, reducing the immediate tax benefit of investing in new exploration technologies, environmental compliance strategies, and process improvements. Under the OBBB, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, domestic R&D costs will once again be fully deductible in the year incurred. Companies can also deduct the remaining unamortized QREs capitalized from 2022–2024 in 2025 or elect to split the deduction across 2025 and 2026. Small taxpayers (with average gross receipts of $31 million or less over the prior three years) may amend 2022–2024 tax returns to claim these deductions retroactively. Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Credit Expanded to Metallurgical Coal The OBBB expands the Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing production tax credit to include metallurgical coal mined in the United States, recognizing it as a critical mineral. This credit, equal to 2.5% of eligible production costs, is available for tax years 2026 through 2029. Importantly, the credit applies whether the metallurgical coal is sold domestically or internationally, as long as it is mined within the U.S., offering significant tax benefits to producers serving both domestic steelmakers and global markets. Modification of Clean Energy Tax Credits The OBBB significantly reshapes many of the clean energy tax credits originally enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. While some credits were immediately repealed with the bill’s passage, others saw their phaseouts accelerated to earlier tax years. The changes impact a wide range of incentives — from consumer-focused credits, such as those for energy-efficient home improvements and electric vehicles, to producer- and developer-level credits that support the generation and development of renewable energy projects. SALT Work-Arounds Retained The OBBB retains the popular workaround allowing pass-through entities to fully deduct state and local income taxes paid on behalf of their owners. This remains especially valuable to operators and service businesses in high-tax states. For individual taxpayers, the SALT deduction cap increases to $40,000 (from $10,000) but phases out for married taxpayers with AGI over $500,000, making the entity-level workaround a critical planning tool. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your business, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### One Big Beautiful Bill Expands Section 45X Tax Credit to U.S. Metallurgical Coal Producers As part of the sweeping tax changes introduced in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), metallurgical coal has now been added to the list of critical minerals eligible for the Section 45X advanced manufacturing production tax credit. This development represents a significant new opportunity for U.S.-based coal producers, particularly those supplying domestic and international steel and metals markets. Key details of the new credit: What’s eligible: The credit applies to metallurgical coal mined within the United States. Credit amount: The credit is calculated as 2.5% of eligible production costs. Availability: Taxpayers may claim the credit for tax years 2026 through 2029. Sales requirement: The mined metallurgical coal can be sold either domestically or internationally — offering flexibility for producers serving global steel and metals customers. Additionally, the coal must be sold to an unrelated party. This addition highlights the strategic importance of metallurgical coal in U.S. industrial supply chains and reflects a broader federal policy shift to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals and materials essential to manufacturing and infrastructure. For U.S. coal producers, the Section 45X credit could improve after-tax project economics, support reinvestment in mining operations, and help offset rising regulatory and operational costs. What this means for your business: Producers should begin reviewing their cost accounting systems to accurately identify and track eligible production costs starting in 2026. Companies considering new mining projects or expansions should factor this credit into financial modeling and capital planning. Taxpayers should evaluate how the credit interacts with other deductions or credits they may claim to optimize their overall tax position.   For questions about the Section 45X credit or its potential impact on your business, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Employer Reporting Obligations for Employee Tax-Free Tips and Overtime Compensation The One Big Beautiful Bill introduces new deductions for certain workers, but with them come additional reporting requirements for employers. As many U.S. taxpayers know, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB or the Act) signed into law on July 4, 2025, created two new temporary deductions for certain employees receiving “qualified tips” and “qualified overtime compensation.” (see our previous article for more details).  However, the information necessary to allow employees to calculate these deductions will require employers to report additional information on Form W-2 and Form 1099 beginning for the 2025 tax year (forms prepared in January 2026). Two sections of the Act, 70201 and 70202, impose reporting requirements on businesses making payments to employees, or to non-employees as the case may be, of qualified tips or qualified overtime. The language in these sections of the OBBB amends the Internal Revenue Code in a number of places related to business payments to payees. In both instances, however, individuals are only allowed deductions for those items that are received during the taxable year and that are included on statements furnished to the individual by the payer. If the item is not reported by the payer, no deduction will be available to the recipient of the qualifying compensation. Concerning the tip deduction, qualified tips are defined to include only those (i) “received by an individual in an occupation which customarily and regularly received tips on or before December 31, 2024, as provided by the Secretary.”  Tips must be voluntarily paid by the payor to an individual not working for a business defined as a specified service trade or business (accountants, attorneys, consultants, medical professionals, etc.). Further, the IRS is authorized to establish other requirements. Essentially, the rules are in place to benefit employees who typically receive tips and prevent recharacterization of income for those in the past who were not tipped (such as your author). Concerning the payment of “qualified overtime compensation,” this term is defined to mean “compensation paid to an individual required under section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) that is in excess of the regular rate (as used in such section) at which such individual is employed.”  Overtime not meeting this definitional requirement is not qualified overtime compensation defined under the new provisions. Businesses should consider consulting with their employment/labor legal advisors to conclude whether overtime that the business pays meets this requirement under the FSLA. Additionally, for the 2025 tax year, both Act provisions provide transitional rules allowing employers to approximate amounts of both tips and overtime compensation by a separate accounting using any reasonable method as specified by the IRS. Future guidance from the IRS is necessary. Currently, only the statutory language as provided in the OBBB is currently available, leaving employers craving additional guidance to be able to comply. On July 14, the IRS issued a fact sheet noting the following for payers of qualified tips and qualified overtime: No Tax on Tips: The IRS must publish a list of occupations that “customarily and regularly” receive tips on or before December 31, 2024. The IRS will also provide transition relief for employers and payors subject to the new reporting requirements. No Tax on Overtime: The IRS indicates that employers and other payers will be required to file information returns with the IRS (or Social Security Administration) and furnish statements to taxpayers showing the total amount of qualified overtime compensation paid during the year and that transition relief will be provided for employers and other payers subject to the new reporting requirements. Businesses may need to update their accounting, payroll, and accounts payable systems to be able to appropriately track and identify payments that meet the definitions of “qualified tips” and “qualified overtime compensation.”  These changes often take time to implement, so businesses should be considering their options now. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your organization, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### The One Big Beautiful Bill: International Tax Implications There are key provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that have international tax implications. H.R. 1, formally titled “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14,” commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill, spans more than 1,100 pages and introduces sweeping changes across the tax landscape. Our previous articles took a closer look at how the One Big Beautiful Bill affects businesses and tax-exempt organizations, individual taxpayers along with estate and gift taxes, and state tax changes and what was left out of the final version of the bill. In this article, we focus on OBBB’s impact on taxpayers doing business globally. The Impact of the OBBB on U.S. International Tax Regime The Bill makes modifications to the existing U.S. international tax regime in a number of key areas, including: Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI): Replaces the term “Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income” (GILTI) with “Net CFC Tested Income (NCTI)” throughout the tax code. The deduction for NCTI (formerly GILTI) under Section 250 is reduced from 50% to 40%. Eliminates the net deemed tangible income return (NDTIR), which had allowed for a 10% return on qualified business asset investment (QBAI) to be excluded from tested income for GILTI purposes.  Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (FDII): Replaces the term “Foreign-Derived Intangible Income” (FDII) with “Foreign-Derived Deduction Eligible Income” (FDDEI). The deduction for FDDEI (formerly FDII) under Section 250 is reduced from 37.5% to 33.34%. Excludes gains from the sale or disposition of intangible property and other depreciable property from the calculation of deduction eligible income (DEI). Eliminates reduction for 10% return on QBAI from the calculation of FDDEI. Extension and Modification of Base Erosion Minimum Tax Amount (BEAT) Increases rate from 10% to 10.5%. Base erosion percentage threshold will remain at 3%. Permanently excludes certain tax credits from reducing regular tax liability when calculating BEAT tax liability. Permanent Extension of CFC Look-Through Rules: Makes permanent the existing look-through exclusion from Subpart F income provided under Section 954(c)(6), which was scheduled to expire. This rule excludes from foreign personal holding company income (and potential inclusion under Subpart F rules) certain payments of dividends, interest, rents and royalties received by a CFC from a related CFC where the payments are not reducing Subpart F income of the CFC making the payments. Restoration of Section 958(b)(4) Limitations on Downward Attribution: Restores application of Section 958(b)(4), which had been repealed under the Tax Cut and Jobs Act in 2017, and limits downward attribution of ownership of shares in foreign corporations owned by non-U.S. persons to U.S. persons when determining U.S. shareholder and CFC status. This previous repeal had resulted in an overly broad application of the downward attribution rules to cause foreign corporations to be viewed as CFCs even in cases where there was no actual majority control by U.S. shareholders. Introduces Section 951B to provide for downward attribution of ownership in a more targeted way, focusing on “foreign-controlled U.S. shareholders” and “foreign-controlled foreign corporations” and thus preserving applicability of Subpart F and GILTI inclusion rules and compliance reporting to structures within the scope of these provisions. Repeal of Election for One-Month Deferral of Tax Years of Specified Foreign Corporations (SFCs) One-month deferral election under Section 898(c)(2) is repealed. Prescribes transition rule for SFCs to adjust to a conforming year-end for tax years beginning after November 30, 2025. Modification to CFC Pro Rata Share Inclusion Rules Modifies existing pro rata share rules to require U.S. shareholders to include their share of Subpart F income if the U.S. shareholders own stock on any day during the CFC tax year as opposed to just those who hold shares on the last day of the CFC tax year. Modifications Related to Foreign Tax Credit Limitation Precludes allocation and apportionment of interest expense or research and experimentation expenditures to NCTI (formerly GILTI) basket income for purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation. Aside from Section 250 deduction and taxes on NCTI inclusions, only deductions directly allocable to NCTI income will be allocated against NCTI basket income for purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation. Modifies deemed paid credit allowed under Section 960 for foreign taxes applicable to tested income by increasing the allowable percentage from 80% to 90%. Disallows a foreign tax credit for 10% of any foreign income taxes paid or accrued on distributions of previously taxed NCTI of a CFC. Applies to taxes on such distributions made after June 28, 2025. Changes sourcing rule applicable to sales of inventory produced in the U.S. and sold outside the U.S. through foreign branches to limit foreign source treatment for foreign tax credit purposes. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your organization, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### The One Big Beautiful Bill: A New Era for Manufacturing Tax Policy How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact the manufacturing industry? The recently enacted OBBB represents a significant shift in U.S. tax policy, particularly for the manufacturing sector. The bill includes provisions designed to stimulate domestic investment, foster innovation and promote industrial growth. These provisions offer a suite of tax incentives that could reshape how manufacturers plan capital expenditures and R&D strategies. Some of the noteworthy provisions related to the manufacturing industry are as follows: Full and immediate expensing for certain production facilities involved in manufacturing This provision is one of the most impactful provisions for manufacturers in the tax bill. It allows businesses to deduct 100% of the cost of newly constructed qualified production property (QPP) in the year it is placed in service. QPP is nonresidential real property used by the taxpayer as an integral part of a qualified production activity. The deduction is available for new facilities that are involved in substantial transformation of a product such as manufacturing, refining, extraction and chemical production. It excludes areas used for offices, administrative spaces and parking structures. The property must be new, U.S.-based, and not previously placed in service. It applies to property placed in service between July 4, 2025, and before January 1, 2031 (construction of the property must begin after January 19, 2025, and before January 1, 2029). A 10-year recapture rule applies if the property’s use changes to serve a new purpose. Under the prior law, buildings of this nature were required to be depreciated over a 39-year period. An exception can be applied to used property acquired by a taxpayer after January 19, 2025, and before January 1, 2029, in which the special depreciation allowance is permitted under certain conditions. This provision is expected to accelerate capital investment in domestic production, factory construction and modernization by reducing the initial cost for new factories. Bonus Depreciation and Section 179 Expensing The OBBB also permanently reinstates 100% bonus depreciation for qualified property acquired and placed into service after January 19, 2025. This allows manufacturers to immediately expense machinery, tools and other tangible assets. Accordingly, the bill raises the §179 expensing limit to $2.5 million (phased out after $4 million), indexed for inflation after 2025. This is especially beneficial for small and mid-sized manufacturers investing in equipment and facility upgrades. Research and Experimental Cost Deduction The bill repeals the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts’ amortization requirement for domestic R&D costs, restoring immediate expensing under §174 starting in 2025. Further, it provides retroactive relief for small companies with annual revenues less than $31 million to amend their tax returns and deduct these expenses for tax years 2022-2024. Alternatively, a taxpayer may elect a deduction for previously capitalized expenses in 2025 or over two years in 2025 and 2026. Larger companies are limited to electing one of the catch-up provisions for unamortized capitalized costs. Section 163(j) Interest Deduction Relief OBBB permanently reverts the §163(j) limitation from EBIT back to EBITDA for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. Adjusted taxable income can be calculated without a reduction for depreciation, amortization or depletion, thereby allowing an increase in allowable interest deductions and particularly benefiting capital-intensive manufacturers. The OBBB marks a transformative shift in U.S. manufacturing tax policy. By aligning tax incentives with realities of modern industrial investment—through full expensing, enhanced R&D treatment and expanded interest deductibility—OBBB empowers manufacturers to scale operations, embrace innovation and strengthen domestic production. As the sector adapts to this new landscape, proactive and strategic planning will be essential to fully leverage these provisions and drive sustained long-term growth. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your business, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Five Significant Tax Implications of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" on the Construction Industry How will the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) impact the construction industry? The OBBB introduced significant income tax-related changes affecting the construction industry. Five of the most significant income tax implications of this landmark bill are highlighted below: Qualified Business Income Deduction The OBBB makes permanent the 20% deduction of ordinary business income from qualified pass-through entities.  This deduction essentially reduces the top individual effective rate from 37% to 29.6% and was set to expire at the end of the 2025 calendar year. Expensing of Qualified Research and Experimental Expenses (QREs) Beginning in 2022, domestic QREs were required to be capitalized and amortized over six tax periods, with the first and last year deduction equaling only 10% of the total amount of expense incurred during the year. For tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, domestic R&D costs are fully deductible in the year incurred, and taxpayers can deduct the unamortized QREs (that were capitalized in 2022-2024) in 2025 or split the deduction between 2025 and 2026. Small taxpayers (companies with average gross receipts of $31 million or less over the past three years) also have the ability to amend their tax returns for 2022 through 2024 to claim these deductions. Depreciation Changes One hundred percent bonus depreciation (previously 40% in 2025) was made permanent for qualifying property acquired after January 19, 2025.  In general, qualifying property is MACRS property with a recovery period of 20 years or less, computer software or Qualified Improvement Property. In addition, the dollar limitation for Code Section 179 depreciation expense is increased to $2.5 million and the investment limitation is increased to $4 million for tax years beginning after 2024.  These amounts will be adjusted for inflation for years beginning after 2025. Clean Energy Incentives Terminated The bill eliminates many green construction tax incentives, including 179D and 45L.  The 179D tax deduction is not available for properties that begin construction after June 30, 2026, and the 45L tax credit is not available for all dwelling units that are closed or initially leased after June 30, 2026. SALT Work-Arounds Retained The OBBB retains the full deductibility of state income taxes paid by pass-through entities on behalf of their owners.  This workaround remains an important tax planning strategy given that the SALT deduction (for individual income taxpayers) was only increased to $40,000 (from $10,000) and phases out for married individual income taxpayers with adjusted grossed income in excess of $500,000. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. For more information on the impact of the OBBB on your company, please contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About Schneider Downs Construction Services Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, Schneider Downs provides strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  To learn more, visit our Construction Industry Group page.   ### Postcard from the AICPA NFP Industry Conference The 2025 AICPA & CIMA Not-for-Profit (NFP) Industry Conference took place during June 2025. This annual event brought together finance and accounting professionals from the NFP sector to explore industry news, regulatory updates, financial reporting, cybersecurity, AI integration, and leadership. Key accounting topics included Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Uniform Guidance changes, Form 990 compliance, internal controls, budgeting, and grant accounting, equipping NFP professionals with tools to enhance transparency, sustainability, and mission-driven financial management. One of the main highlights of the conference was the discussion of the impact of emerging technologies on the accounting profession. Speakers emphasized the importance of staying updated with technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and data analytics. These technologies are transforming the way accountants work, making processes more efficient and accurate. Attendees were encouraged to embrace these changes and leverage technology to enhance their services and programs. Another significant topic was the evolving regulatory landscape. The conference addressed recent changes in accounting standards and regulations, highlighting the need for professionals to stay informed and compliant. Experts provided guidance on navigating these changes and ensuring that their practices align with the latest requirements. This session was particularly beneficial for those involved in financial reporting. The conference also featured sessions on risk management and cybersecurity. With the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, it is crucial for accounting professionals to understand the risks and implement robust security measures. Speakers shared best practices for protecting sensitive financial data and mitigating potential risks. This information is vital for maintaining the trust and confidence of the NFP donor and grantor base. In addition to these topics, the conference included discussions on leadership and professional development. Attendees were encouraged to invest in personal growth and develop essential skills such as communication, critical thinking, and adaptability. These skills are crucial for navigating the dynamic and ever-changing accounting landscape. Overall, the AICPA conference was a comprehensive and informative event that addressed the most pressing issues facing the NPF industry today. Please join Schneider Downs’ NFP industry leaders and subject matter experts on August 19 for our webinar that dives deeper into these topics impacting the NFP sector. ### The One Big Beautiful Bill: State Tax Impact and Noteworthy Past Proposals Provisions That Were Not Included What are some key state tax implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), and what are some noteworthy past proposals that were not included in this legislation? H.R. 1, formally titled “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14” and commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill, spans more than 1,100 pages and introduces sweeping changes across the tax landscape. One previous article took a closer look at how the OBBB affects businesses and tax-exempt organizations, while another explored the effects on individual taxpayers along with estate and gift taxes. In this piece, we focus on the implications on state taxes and past proposals that were not included in the final version of the bill. What the OBBB Means for State Taxes The passage of any significant federal income tax legislation often impacts the amount of state income taxes incurred by individuals. This is because state income tax regimes are often directly tied to (or conform with) federal tax law. Many states (but not Pennsylvania) use federal adjusted gross income or alternatively taxable income as their starting point by incorporating the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) in whole or in part into their state law either through: Static conformity – a state conforms to the IRC as of a specific date, or Rolling conformity – wherein a state law automatically conforms to the IRC States may further complicate matters by “decoupling” from federal rules in certain areas, like depreciation, by adopting slower depreciation methods or opting out of federal bonus depreciation rules, for example, while adopting most other federal provisions. Another item for consideration are the various state pass-through entity tax (PTET) workaround regimes developed in response to the TCJA’s $10,000 SALT limitation. Some states included sunset provisions into their laws that would terminate the workaround when the TCJA was set to expire. Careful attention to each state’s specific laws is required. Taxpayers need to be mindful of these potential federal and state differences when estimating state income tax consequences of the new legislation. What Didn’t Make the Final Cut of the OBBB? A number of ideas that were floated by various members of Congress didn’t make it into the OBBB, but it doesn’t mean they won’t be considered in the future. Items not included in the bill include: Corporate Tax Rates – A change in corporate tax rates (increase or decrease) was not included in the OBBB. Wealth or Billionaire Taxes – Though floated in prior years, there is no provision within the OBBB imposing a tax on wealth. Higher Income Tax Rate – Though discussed, there are no provisions imposing a higher income tax rate (such as a return to a 39.6% rate) on high income individuals. Net Investment Income Tax – Increases in the tax rate of the net investment income tax have previously been proposed but were not included in the OBBB. Carried Interest – Treating carried interest as ordinary income was not included. Step-Up in Basis – Ending the step-up in basis on inherited wealth was not included in the OBBB. Like-Kind Exchanges – repeal of like-kind exchange treatment on real estate transaction have been proposed in the past but are not included in the OBBB. Corporate SALT Deduction – A limitation on the corporate SALT deduction was not included. Work Opportunity Credit – An extension of the Work Opportunity Credit (set to expire 12/31/2025) was not included. Social Security Taxation – An exclusion of Social Security benefits from income tax was not included. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your organization, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  Excerpt: See how the One Big Beautiful Bill affects state taxes—and what high-profile tax proposals didn’t make it into the final legislation. ### The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Organizations What changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) could impact businesses and tax-exempt organizations? H.R. 1, formally titled “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14” and commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill, spans more than 1,100 pages and introduces sweeping changes across the tax landscape. Our previous article covered how the OBBB affects individual taxpayers and estate and gift taxes. In this article, we explore the key changes that could impact businesses and tax-exempt organizations. The Impact of the OBBB on Businesses The business-related tax provisions contained in the OBBB appear to be designed to encourage business in America and stimulate the economy by restoring and adding tax- favorable (although not all provisions are favorable) business provisions, including: Business Interest Deduction: The OBBB permanently reinstates the “taxable EBITDA” limitation for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. Accordingly, for the purpose of calculating the business interest limitation for these years, adjusted taxable income is computed without a reduction for depreciation, amortization or depletion, thereby increasing the amount of interest expense that can be deducted. The OBBB also modifies the definition of “motor vehicle” for purposes of the floorplan financing interest and floorplan financing indebtedness definitions to include any trailer or camper that is designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or seasonal use and is designed to be towed by or affixed to a motor vehicle. Finally, the OBBB provides rules for coordinating the business interest limitation rules with rules on the capitalization of interest. The new rules don’t change other numerous and complex compliance business interest limitation rules already in place, including the definition of interest and its different impact on partnerships and partners compared to S corporations and their shareholders. Special Depreciation Allowance for Qualified Production Property: The OBBB aims to encourage growth in domestic manufacturing by creating a new tax incentive that allows for the immediate deduction for investment in both new and refurbished manufacturing facilities (i.e., buildings) by adding new subsection (§168(n)), and by creating an immediate deduction for a new class of property called “qualified production property” for property acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025 and before January 1, 2031. Bonus Depreciation: The OBBB permanently reinstates a 100% additional first-year depreciation deduction under §168(k) for qualified property (new or used property with a recovery period of 20 years or less) acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025. There are still other options available to elect out of 100% bonus depreciation. Section 179 Business Expensing of Capital Acquisitions: The OBBB increases the maximum expense deduction to $2,500,000 while increasing the phaseout threshold to $4,000,000 (both indexed for inflation) beginning in tax years after December 31, 2024. Research and Experimental Cost Deduction: The OBBB permanently provides for the immediate deduction of domestic (but not foreign) R&E costs in the year incurred for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. Capitalization and amortization are no longer required, but can be elected. Further, it provides retroactive relief for smaller companies with average gross receipts of $31 million or less over the past three years to either amend returns for tax years 2022 through 2024 or take a catch-up deduction in either one year in 2025 or over two years in 2025 and 2026. Larger companies are limited to either of the catch-up provisions, but not the amended return option for remaining unamortized capitalized costs. The 15-year amortization rule remains in place for foreign R&E; these costs are still excluded from the Section 41 research credit. Qualified Opportunity Zones: The OBBB revitalizes the QOZ program by creating a permanent set of provisions and benefits that are separate from those originally established by the TCJA. The Act calls for the designation of additional qualified opportunity zones under a modified definition of a low income community. It also creates a second type of QOZ known as a “rural area” QOF, provides differing gain exclusion periods based on holding periods of qualifying investments, and increases compliance reporting requirements. Qualified Business Income Deduction: The OBBB makes permanent a 20% deduction against “adjusted taxable income” (though the original House OBBB wanted to increase the deduction to 23%, a number that was not acceptable to the Senate and was removed prior to passage). You’ll recall that the deduction is available to individuals regardless of whether they itemize their deductions. The OBBB makes a few additional but nominal enhancements, including providing for a new minimum $400 deduction for those with at least $1,000 of qualified business income, and expands the deduction limit by increasing phaseout amounts. It makes no changes to the treatment of income to professional service business owners of “specified service trade or businesses.” Excess Business Loss Deduction: The excess business loss provisions for noncorporate taxpayers are made permanent, including treating the loss disallowed and carried forward to future years as a net operating loss. C Corporation Floor on Charitable Contributions: The OBBB creates a floor equal to 1% of taxable income on corporate charitable donations exceeding 1% of taxable income for donations in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. Total charitable donations are still limited to a maximum 10% of taxable income (before the floor). Carryforwards are available. Section 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction: The OBBB terminates the deduction for qualified property that begins construction after June 30, 2026. Exception To Percentage-Of-Completion Method Of Accounting For Certain Residential Construction Contracts: The OBBB made two significant changes to rules related to residential construction contracts entered into in tax years beginning after July 4, 2025. First, it expands the exception to the percentage-of-completion method of accounting to include residential construction contracts. For tax purposes. residential construction contracts are defined differently than home construction contracts, the primary difference being the number of dwelling units in the building. In general, home contracts contain four or fewer units while residential contracts contain more than four dwelling units. The second material change that the OBBB made to residential construction contracts is that an alternative minimum tax (AMT) adjustment is no longer required for any residential construction contracts entered into in a tax year after July 4, 2025 (Code Section 56(a)(3). The elimination of the AMT adjustment further aligns the tax treatment of residential and home construction contacts because home construction contracts have long benefited from the fact that an AMT adjustment was not required on home construction contracts. Administrative Accounting for Tips and Overtime Earned by Employees: The OBBB includes provisions for employers that require additional compliance reporting obligations to both employees and the IRS to allow for the proper claiming and verification of deductions. Form 1099 Information Reporting: The OBBB increases the information return (Form 1099) threshold for certain payments to individuals engaged in a trade or business and payments of remuneration for services to $2,000 in a calendar year (up from $600). The threshold amount will be indexed annually for inflation in calendar years after 2026; the provision is effective for payments made after December 31, 2025. The Impact of the OBBB on Tax-Exempt Organizations The final version of the OBBB includes only a few changes that directly impact tax-exempt organizations. Several provisions that raised concerns following the release of the House’s initial draft in May were ultimately excluded from the final version of the legislation. The excluded provisions include an increase in the rate of tax on net investment income of certain private foundations, an increase in unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) by the amount of certain fringe benefit expenses for which deduction is disallowed, and name and logo royalties being treated as UBTI There are also a number of provisions that indirectly impact tax-exempt organizations. These are discussed elsewhere. but include changes in the treatment of charitable contributions by individuals and corporations and a change in the reporting threshold for information reporting forms with respect to compensatory payments to certain payees. Tax on Excess Compensation Within Tax-Exempt Organizations: The OBBB expands the application of an excise tax on the excess compensation of tax-exempt organizations. It changes the definition of a “covered employee” to mean any employee (including any former employee employed after 2016) of an applicable tax-exempt organization, not just the five highest-compensated in each year after 2016. This amendment works to increase the excise tax by effectively erasing the limitation on the number of employees that can be considered new “covered employees” each year. Modification of Excise Tax on Investment Income of Certain Private Colleges and Universities: The OBBB amends the law by adding a tiered tax rate structure based on the student-adjusted endowment as follows: Student-adjusted endowment Excise tax rate More than $500,000 and not more than $750,000 1.4% (current rate) More than $750,000 and not more than $2,000,000 4% More than $2,000,000 8% The new law also increases the number of tuition-paying students to be considered an applicable educational institution to 3,000 from the current 500. Additionally, under the new law, the net investment income subject to the excise tax will include student loan interest income and royalty income from federally funded research. Schools that are subject to this excise tax will be required to report the number of tuition-paying students and the number of total students on their Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your organization, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  Excerpt: Explore key tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill that impact businesses and tax-exempt organizations, from deductions to compliance updates ### The One Big Beautiful Bill: Highlights for Individual, Estate, and Gift Taxes What changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) could impact individual taxpayers and estate and gift taxes? H.R. 1, formally titled “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14” and commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill, spans more than 1,100 pages and introduces sweeping changes across the tax landscape. The OBBB tax implications are focused on several key goals, including: The extension or permanency of 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions; A reduction in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) green energy credits; Encouraging business in America and stimulating the economy by restoring and adding tax-favorable business provisions; and Putting America first by enacting permanent reform to international provisions of the federal tax code. The OBBB impacts federal taxation – and various taxpayers – in a number of areas. We’ve summarized the key provisions we believe are most relevant or have the most interest to our clients. This article will focus on the individual and estate and gift-related provisions of the OBBB, with future articles focusing on: Businesses and Tax-Exempt Organizations State Tax and Proposal Exclusions International Tax Green and Other Credits The Impact of the OBBB on Individual Taxpayers Generally, the OBBB achieved its goal of extending many of the TCJA provisions, along with adding additional rules regarding specific items like taxation of tips and overtime pay. The OBBB does change law impacting individual taxpayers as highlighted below: Tax Rates and Brackets: The OBBB makes permanent the existing seven tax brackets created by the TCJA (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%); it does not create a higher tax rate for wealthy individuals that was being floated at one time. Brackets will continue to increase for inflation. Standard Deduction: The OBBB makes permanent – and slightly increases – the standard deduction that was nearly doubled by the TCJA. The deduction will be increased based on inflation. The larger standard deduction essentially includes the reduction in income formerly provided by personal exemptions and a smaller standard deduction under pre-TCJA tax law. Personal Exemptions: Many taxpayers may remember reductions to adjusted gross income (AGI) for personal exemptions. This item would have returned with the expiration of the TCJA but is now permanently eliminated by the OBBB. Deduction for Seniors: The OBBB provides for a temporary $6,000 senior deduction (or exemption) for tax years 2025 through 2028 for individuals who are age 65 or older, with the benefit phasing out when modified AGI exceeds $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for married filing jointly taxpayers. The deduction is allowed to senior taxpayers who either claim the standard deduction or itemize deductions. It is not indexed for inflation. This provision is likely a compromise provision to the President’s goal of making Social Security benefits not taxable. Itemized Deduction Benefit Limited: Beginning in 2026, a new provision places an overall limit on the tax benefit of miscellaneous itemized deductions (including SALT deductions, charitable contributions, and mortgage and investment interest) for the highest income earners at essentially 35%. This impacts the highest bracket taxpayers only (the 37% bracket is reached at roughly $626,000 of taxable income for single taxpayers and $752,000 for married filing jointly taxpayers using 2025 brackets). The provision specifically excludes a reduction for the qualified business income deduction. Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions Not Allowed: The OBBB permanently denies the TCJA’s non-deductibility of almost all miscellaneous itemized deductions like tax preparation fees, investment fees and professional fees incurred with IRS audits and assessments. Only educator expenses are allowed as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Limitation: For tax years beginning in 2025, the OBBB retroactively increases the cap on SALT deductions to $40,000 (excluding a small 1% increase annually) for tax years through 2029, after which it is scheduled to return to $10,000. The deduction would also be subject to a phaseout for modified AGI greater than $500,000 in 2025 and similar 1% increases thereafter. It would not be reduced below $10,000. More importantly for business passthrough business owners, there would be no SALT limitation for passthrough entities. Charitable Deduction For Non-Itemizers: Beginning in 2026, non-itemizing individuals can deduct up to $1,000 (or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly). This provision is permanent. Charitable Deduction Floor Established: The OBBB establishes a floor for the deduction of charitable contributions for taxpayers who itemize. Beginning in 2026, charitable contributions will only be deductible to the extent they exceed 0.5% of AGI. A limited carryforward provision is provided for the disallowed portion; the excess may be carried forward if the taxpayer has other charitable carryforwards from the year. Cash Contributions Allowed Up to 60% of AGI: The Senate also added a provision to the OBBB that makes the 60% AGI limitation for cash contributions to public charities permanent. Home Mortgage Interest Deduction: The OBBB makes permanent the TCJA limitations on the deductibility of home mortgage interest at $750,000 of mortgage indebtedness (otherwise set to increase to $1,000,000 if the TCJA provisions expired). Home equity indebtedness is not separately deductible unless it qualifies as “acquisition indebtedness.” Automobile Loan Interest Deduction: The OBBB establishes a new temporary deduction (also allowed to non-itemizers) for tax years 2025 through 2028 for “qualified passenger vehicle loan interest” on debt incurred after December 31, 2024, for the purchase of a personal use automobile secured by the debt. The automobile must be a new vehicle (car, minivan, SUV, pickup truck or motorcycle under 14,000 pounds) and final assembled in the U.S. There is a limit on the amount of interest deductible ($10,000) and limits on deductibility when modified AGI exceeds $100,000 ($200,000 in the case of a joint return). Deduction for Tips Earned: This provision temporarily creates a limited above-the-line deduction for “qualified tips” received by an individual in an occupation (Treasury will publish a list within 90 days of enactment) that “customarily and regularly” receives tips during tax years 2025 through 2028. A qualified tip is one that must be paid voluntarily, is not subject to negotiation and is determined by the payor. The deduction is allowed for both employees receiving a W-2 and independent contractors receiving a 1099-K, 1099-NEC or reported by the taxpayer on Form 4317. The deduction is limited to $25,000 and begins to phase out when the taxpayer’s modified AGI exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 for married filing jointly). Deduction for Overtime Pay: This provision temporarily creates a limited above-the-line deduction for “qualified overtime compensation” received by an individual during tax years 2025 through 2028. Qualified overtime compensation means overtime compensation paid to an individual required under Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 that is in excess of the regular rate (as used in such section) at which such individual is employed. The deduction is limited to $12,500 ($25,000 in the case of a joint return) and begins to phase out when the taxpayer’s modified AGI exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 for married filing jointly). Exclusion from Income of Gain on Section 1202 Qualified Small Business Stock: Taxpayers investing in certain small “C” corporations can achieve significant capital gain income exclusions of up to 100% of gains (or even over $500 million in gains in an extreme example) when selling stock that qualifies as Section 1202 Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS). The OBBB makes substantial modifications and improvements to existing law, adjusting the QSBS exclusion to provide tiers (50% for stock held for three years; 75% for four years; 100% for five) for newly acquired stock while also increasing the eligibility for exclusion by raising the limit on the corporation’s gross assets at the time of stock issuance from $50 million to $75 million. Because Section 1202 has existed since 1993 and the rules have evolved over the years, it’s critical to understand your specific facts before the amount of gain eligible for exclusion can be determined. Personal Casualty Losses: This provision permanently limits the itemized deduction for personal casualty losses resulting from federally declared disasters. When a loss is attributable to a disaster declared by the President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the loss is deductible only to the extent of the sum of the individual’s personal casualty gains plus the amount by which aggregate net disaster-related losses exceed 10% of the individual taxpayer’s AGI as an itemized deduction. In any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, all other personal casualty losses – such as a fire that totally destroys a personal residence not caused by a federally declared disaster – are deductible only to the extent that the losses do not exceed the individual’s personal casualty gains. NOTE: Qualified disaster losses are a special subset of a personal federally declared disaster loss and are not a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the above rule. Child Tax Credit: Provides for a permanent increase in the child tax credit to $2,200 (indexed for inflation) for eligible taxpayers for tax years beginning in 2025. The OBBB also makes permanent the income phaseout threshold amounts of $400,000 for taxpayers filing jointly and $200,000 for all other taxpayers. Adoption Credit: Formerly nonrefundable, the OBBB makes $5,000 of the total credit refundable ($17,280 for 2025 as adjusted for inflation). It did not change the income levels when the credit begins to phase out (at income levels roughly between $259,000 and $299,000 for 2025). Qualified Elementary and Secondary Scholarship Tax Credit: The OBBB creates a tax credit not to exceed $1,700 (reduced by any state credit allowed) available to U.S. citizens or U.S. resident individuals equal to “qualified contributions” made to a “scholarship granting organization.” Various additional requirements and restrictions apply. The effective date is for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026. Student Loan Debt Discharge: The OBBB makes permanent the exclusion from gross income the discharge of student loan debts due to death or disability. Alternative Minimum Tax: The OBBB preserves the TCJA’s AMT exemption amounts but increases the phaseout rate to 50% (versus 25% under current law), accelerating the claw-back for upper income taxpayers. Additional Miscellaneous Items: The OBBB permanently terminates other provisions, including the deduction for moving expenses and the determination of the amount of wagering losses allowed as a deduction. The Impact of the OBBB on Estate and Gift-Related Provisions Estate and Gift Tax Exemption: The OBBB makes permanent and increases the unified estate and gift tax exemption to an inflation-indexed $15 million for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. The generation-skipping transfer tax exemption is also permanently increased to an inflation-indexed $15 million. Education Savings Accounts (provides enhanced gifting opportunities): The use of §529 Accounts offers the ability to save for future primary, secondary and college education expenses in a tax-efficient manner by providing for tax-free growth on principal contributed and allowing for tax-free withdrawals when used for qualified education expense. The funding of §529 plans can also offer valuable gift and estate planning benefits for parents and grandparents, though these rules are outside the scope of this guide.While many current rules surrounding 529 Accounts remain the same, the OBBB enhances educational planning by expanding the definition of “qualified higher education expenses” to include additional expenses eligible for K-12 usage (but excluding from the definition expenses incurred in homeschooling), such as curriculum and curricular materials, books or other instructional materials, online educational materials, certain tutoring expenses, educational therapies and fees for standardized testing, college admission examinations and advanced placement tests. These elementary and secondary school expenses are considered qualified higher education expenses for all purposes of §529. The OBBB also doubles the amount of allowed withdrawals for elementary and secondary school tuition and expenses from $10,000 annually per beneficiary to $20,000. If you have questions about how the OBBB may affect you or your family, please reach out to us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. This article is part of our ongoing series on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. You may view our full library on our OBBB Resource Center. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  Excerpt: Explore key individual, estate, and gift tax changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill and how they may impact your financial planning. ### June 2025 - Market Recap The S&P 500 index continues to produce new records – this time the fastest recovery following a 15% or greater decline since the mid 1950’s. What makes this 55-day (the fastest ever) recovery from a 15% or greater decline even more surprising is that the stock market was able to shrug off the U.S. bombing of Iran, the continued global trade wars, and the typical blasé month of May. In fact, the S&P 500 index just generated its highest May through June return (up 11.7%) since the 20.9% return to the S&P 500 index during May through June 1938. Markets have rebounded from the April lows and have gone all in on risk. While we are back to all-time highs from a price perspective, we are also back to very expensive levels from a valuation perspective. The forward P/E on the S&P 500 is on the brink of hitting 22x, not that far from all-time high valuations reached in 1999-2000 of 24x. Amidst all the geopolitical uncertainty, slowing economic growth, and still relatively restrictive Fed, equities brushed all that off to be priced in of the highest valuations in 30 years. Large cap stocks fared better than mid- and small-cap stocks in June and during the second quarter. In June, the S&P 500 was up 5.1%, the S&P 400 (mid-cap) was up 3.6% and the S&P 600 (small cap) was up 4%. For the quarter, the S&P 500 was up almost 11% while the S&P 400 was up 6.7% and the S&P 600 was up 4.9 %. Despite all three size indices generating a positive return for the second quarter, only large cap and mid-cap indices are ahead year-to-date, while small cap stocks are still in negative territory (the Russell 2000 is down 1.8% and the S&P 600 is down 4.5%). International equities continued their relatively strong performance to end the first half of 2025 as one of the best returning asset classes across the board. The MSCI AC World ex-US (international developed equities) were up 3.45% for the month of June and 18.3% for the first half of 2025. Emerging markets were up over 6% for the month of June and 15% for the first half of 2025. The U.S. dollar fell to new cycle lows leading to over a -10% decline for the first half of 2025, one of the worst starts to a year for the U.S. dollar since the 1970s. This has helped lift risk assets more broadly and continues to be the most important driver of multi-asset investing in 2025. As we set up for the second half of 2025, one of the biggest questions around is can the USD keep falling at this pace for the rest of the year? As stock indices advanced in June, so did bonds as yields declined. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped from 4.42% at the close of May to 4.23% at the end of June – leading to a 1.5% monthly return for the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond index. For the quarter, the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond index was up 1.2%. Riskier areas of the bond market (high yield) benefited from the falling rate environment as well as tightening credit spreads as less risk was priced into the market. High quality bonds continue to offer compelling income and the potential for further price returns if the economy slows down more. About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Schneider Downs Wealth Management has been providing investment and retirement services since 2000. Although our service platforms continue to evolve, commitment to our clients remains our first priority. Our service is tailored to your individualized goals but built on the fundamental principles of our practice: fiduciary guidance, fee transparency and goal-based decision making. To learn more, visit our dedicated Wealth Management page. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### IRS Announces 2025 Marginal Well Tax Credit; Highest Credit Ever at $0.79 Per MCF On June 30, the IRS released the figures needed to calculate the Marginal Well Tax Credit (MWC) for tax year 2025. Using a natural gas reference price of $1.64 per mcf and an inflation adjustment factor of 1.5821, the result is a credit of $0.79 per eligible mcf of production, the highest amount in the credit’s history. The MWC was enacted to help domestic producers keep low-production (or “marginal”) wells in service, especially when natural gas prices are low. Marginal wells, which often operate on thin profit margins, are an important part of U.S. energy supply and local economies. The credit serves as an incentive to maintain production rather than shut in wells when prices dip. Historically, the credit amount has varied each year based on the IRS-determined reference price and inflation adjustments. In recent years, the credit was $0.77 for 2024, and $0 in both 2022 and 2023, when higher natural gas prices meant the credit phased out entirely. The new 2025 credit of $0.79 per mcf marks a record high, providing extra support to operators during a period of relatively low gas prices. For operators of qualified marginal wells, the 2025 credit could provide meaningful tax relief and help offset operating costs. As always, it’s important to review eligibility requirements carefully and consult with a tax advisor to ensure proper calculation and use of the credit. If you think you could benefit from the credit or would like to discuss the 2025 MWC, please contact a Schneider Downs tax advisor. ### Section 174 Expensing Restored Under OBBB—A Win for R&D-Driven Businesses How will the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) impact R&D-driven businesses? The newly enacted OBBB delivers long-awaited relief for businesses investing in domestic research and development (R&D). One of the most impactful changes? The repeal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s (TCJA) requirement to amortize Section 174 R&D expenses over five years. Starting with tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, companies can once again fully deduct domestic R&D costs in the year they’re incurred. What’s Changed? Since 2022, businesses were required to capitalize and amortize domestic R&D expenses over five years. This policy created cash flow challenges and discouraged innovation. The OBBB reverses that, restoring immediate expensing for domestic R&D and realigning tax treatment with the fast-paced nature of innovation. Key Highlights for Taxpayers Immediate Expensing Returns: Beginning for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, domestic R&D costs are fully deductible in the year incurred—no special election needed. Retroactive Relief for Small Businesses: Companies with average gross receipts of $31 million or less over the past three years can: Amend 2022–2024 returns (must be done within one year of the bill’s enactment), or Take a catch-up deduction in 2025 or split it between 2025 and 2026. Accelerated Deductions for Larger Businesses: Companies above the small business threshold can’t amend prior returns, but they can accelerate remaining amortization from 2022–2024 over one or two years starting in 2025. Foreign R&D Still Amortized: The 15-year amortization rule remains for foreign R&D, and these costs are still excluded from the Section 41 research credit. Strategic Considerations Small businesses should weigh the pros and cons of amending prior returns versus taking the catch-up deduction. Amending could improve cash flow and financial reporting, but it comes with administrative overhead. The catch-up deduction may be simpler and more efficient for businesses with steady cash flow or limited resources to handle amended filings. Final Thoughts The OBBB’s revisions to Section 174 signal a meaningful shift in tax policy—one that reaffirms the value of domestic innovation and supports the businesses driving it. For companies in software, biotech, advanced manufacturing, and other R&D-heavy sectors, this is a moment to act. Review your past filings, assess your options, and position your business to take full advantage of the restored expensing rules. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs helps businesses identify and claim R&D tax credits across industries like manufacturing, software, logistics, and construction. Whether you need a full study or a review of your current calculation, our team can help you uncover opportunities and maximize your return. For more information contact us at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. ### Major Tax Code Changes Under the One Big Beautiful Bill A sweeping update to the U.S. tax code was signed into law late last week under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). This legislation introduces a wide range of changes that will affect nearly every American taxpayer—from extending the 2017 tax cuts to introducing new deductions for car loan interest. In this article, we’ll break down what we feel are the most impactful provisions. Extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts The tax reforms introduced in 2017 were originally set to expire at the end of 2025. However, under the OBBB, these provisions are now permanent—with one major addition: a temporary expansion of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction. SALT Deduction Increase: The SALT deduction cap will rise from $10,000 to $40,000 starting in 2025. This increase will phase out after four years, reverting to the $10,000 cap in 2029. The new cap will also increase by 1% annually during its effective period. Other permanent provisions include: Reduced tax rates across most income brackets, with adjusted thresholds. Elimination of personal exemptions and a near doubling of the standard deduction. Child Tax Credit increased from $1,000 to $2,000, and further raised to $2,200 per child (indexed for inflation after 2025). Elimination of many itemized deductions (e.g., unreimbursed employee expenses, tax prep fees). Federal estate tax exemption remains at $13.99 million per individual. Mortgage interest deduction preserved for up to $750,000 of new acquisition debt. Medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of AGI remain deductible. Repeal of the Pease limitation on itemized deductions remains in effect. New Deduction for Car Loan Interest Taxpayers can now deduct up to $10,000 in interest on car loans annually, provided the vehicle is assembled in the U.S. This deduction phases out for individuals earning between $100,000–$150,000 and joint filers earning between $200,000–$250,000. The car must be new, you must be the original owner, and it must be for personal use. Senior Tax Deduction While Social Security income remains partially taxable, the OBBB introduces a new $6,000 deduction for taxpayers over age 65. This deduction phases out starting at $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for joint filers and is set to expire in 2029. Green Energy Rollbacks The $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, passed in September 2025, has been repealed under the OBBB. Reduced Taxes on Tips The first $25,000 in tips will be tax-deductible for eligible workers (e.g., servers, beauticians), subject to income limits of $150,000 (individual) and $300,000 (joint). Reduced Taxes on Overtime Up to $12,500 in overtime pay will also be tax-deductible under the same income thresholds. New Savings Accounts for Children The OBBB establishes a new savings account program for children born between 2025 and 2028: Each eligible child receives a new account with a $1,000 government-funded seed deposit. Parents can contribute up to $5,000 annually. Accounts are invested in a U.S. stock market index and function similarly to IRAs. Withdrawals are allowed starting at age 18, with penalties for early withdrawals (pre-59½) unless used for qualifying expenses. Final Thoughts The Big Beautiful Bill introduces significant changes to the tax landscape. At Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, we’re here to help you navigate these updates and make taxes less complicated. Please reach out to your trusted advisor with any questions. To make sure you are receiving our written and video content surrounding the OBBB and other hot topics, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and subscribe to our emails! https://taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-did-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-change-personal-taxes https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-in-trump-big-beautiful-bill-senate-version/ https://millancpa.com/insights/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-official-tax-policy-key-provisions Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### One Big Beautiful Bill Status Update: Senate Passes Bill – It’s Now Back to House An amended version of the One Big Beautiful Bill passed the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 51-50 (needing Vice President J.D. Vance as a tiebreaker); the bill now bounces back to the House for another vote in that chamber. The House started its procedural processes yesterday (Wednesday). The Republican leadership goal is to have a bill ready for signature by July 4th. It is not clear if that goal line can still be crossed by the self-imposed targeted date as there may be a greater number of House Republicans sounding off against various changes made by the Senate to the House version sent to the Senate May 22. The Party can afford to lose only three members in a close vote (assuming all Democrats will continue to vote no) and still get the bill passed. Any change to the bill, regardless of how minor, would require it to be returned to the Senate for another vote. In our post of June 20, 2025, we noted some of the fundamental differences in tax provisions between the version that passed the House and the initial version the Senate was tweaking. Changes to that initial Senate version of the bill released were necessary to obtain the votes to get a bill passed. Some of those changes include a larger SALT deduction more closely aligned with the House version and changes to the phase-outs of various energy credits. We will continue to monitor the progress of the bill and will be providing a detailed analysis after a final bill is signed into law by President Trump. Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services This article summarizes our recent webinar, Solver Cloud and Power BI in Action: Transforming Reporting in Health and Human Services. You can watch the full replay here. Jan Kubiska, Senior Director of IT and Security at Presley Ridge and Robert Morgan, Senior Manager at SD Digital reflected on how Solver and Power BI helped Pressley Ridge, a leading nonprofit serving over 8,000 clients annually across seven states, streamline operations and improve decision-making with integrated, real-time reporting tools. The Challenge: Siloed Data and Manual Processes Like many nonprofits, Pressley Ridge faced challenges managing data across multiple systems. This lack of integration created delays and limited visibility. Before implementing the new solution, Pressley Ridge encountered several common organizational challenges: Disjointed Systems: Key data was stored across three main platforms: Microsoft Dynamics (ERP), myEvolv (EHR), and UKG Pro (HRIS). These systems were not integrated, making cross-functional reporting difficult. Manual Reporting: Staff used Excel to manually extract, clean, and merge data. This process consumed valuable time and introduced the risk of errors. Outdated Insights: Reports were generated monthly or quarterly. By the time they reached decision-makers, the data was often no longer timely. Inefficient Use of Staff: Highly skilled employees were tied up with repetitive data tasks rather than strategic analysis. The Solution: Automated Integration and Real-Time Reporting To address these issues, SD Digital implemented an integrated solution using Solver Cloud for data warehousing and Power BI for data visualization. Centralized and Automated Data Management: Solver Cloud was used to integrate data from the ERP, EHR, and HRIS systems into a centralized warehouse. This data hub now serves as a single source of truth. Manual processes were replaced by automated workflows using SQL Server Integration Services and Solver’s built-in connectors, providing daily and even on-demand data refreshes. Role-Based Access to Financial Reports in Solver: Data access was customized for financial reports in Solver based on user roles. For example, program directors receive financial reports specific to their programs, while state-level leaders see broader roll-ups. This user-specific reporting approach ensures that staff only see the data that is relevant to their responsibilities. Interactive Dashboards with Power BI: While Solver provided a foundation for standardized, Excel-style financial reports, Power BI added dynamic, visual dashboards for operational insights. From client counts to trend analysis, these dashboards made data more accessible and actionable across all levels of the organization. Real Results: Efficiency, Insight, and Impact Faster Reporting and Analysis: What previously took weeks now happens automatically. Reports on client census, staff turnover, and financial performance are generated in real time. For example, the weekly census report, once compiled manually by dozens of staff members, is now available instantly through Power BI. Ability to Get Answers Quickly Through the Use of Dashboards: Dedicated departmental dashboards provide quick answers to operational questions such as, “How many clients are we serving in a program this quarter?” This allows operational leaders to make decisions using the most current information available. Enhanced Risk Monitoring: By integrating a suicide risk screener and other clinical data, Pressley Ridge built dashboards to proactively identify high-risk cases. Heat maps and trend visuals helped leadership target areas requiring intervention. Streamlined HR Analytics: Previously manual turnover reports and candidate tracking are now automated and visualized. HR teams and program leaders can analyze hiring trends, applicant demographics, and reasons for candidate rejection in one place. Lessons Learned from the Implementation Jan Kubiska and Robert Morgan emphasized several key takeaways that contributed to the success of this initiative: Leadership Support is Essential: Pressley Ridge’s leadership team played a pivotal role in driving the transformation. Jan Kubiska served as a liaison between technical experts and organizational leaders, ensuring alignment and clear communication. Data Quality Comes First: Before building reports, the team prioritized cleaning and structuring data. Starting with accurate and consistent data prevented delays and rework later. Start with High-Impact Wins: The project focused initially on reports with the most strategic value. This approach demonstrated results quickly, helping build internal support and enthusiasm for the tools. Consistency Enhances Adoption: Reports and dashboards were designed with a standardized layout and color scheme. This consistent look and feel helped users navigate the tools more easily, regardless of their technical background. Training Drives Engagement: Pressley Ridge invested in user training sessions to show staff not only how to use the tools, but why they mattered. This helped foster adoption and confidence among users at all levels. By integrating Solver Cloud and Power BI, Pressley Ridge transitioned from outdated, manual reporting systems to a powerful, real-time analytics platform. This shift improved operational efficiency, enhanced data accuracy, and enabled better, faster decision-making across the organization. Whether you work in healthcare, education, or nonprofit services, Pressley Ridge’s experience offers a strong example of how data modernization can create measurable impact when paired with the right tools and strategies. For more information please contact the SD Digital team at contact@sddigital.com or view the webinar replay. ### Teeing Up Success: Build a HITRUST-Ready Program Without the Burnout Learn why HITRUST readiness doesn’t have to cost you a full round of resources. Fresh off the U.S. Open at Oakmont, it’s the perfect time to tee up your next HITRUST move. In our last article, we debunked some of the biggest myths keeping teams in the HITRUST sand trap. Now, it’s time to chart your course. Many teams underestimate the terrain ahead on their HITRUST readiness course, until they’re buried in the rough with policy updates, access logs, and endless evidence reviews. But with the right strategy, you can stay on the fairway and keep your momentum all the way to certification. Tip 1: Use Every Shot Already in Your Bag A control overhaul might seem par for the course with each new control framework. With HITRUST, no need to reinvent the wheel, leverage the work your team already does. You likely already have controls in place, just not in HITRUST language. SOC 2? ISO 27001? PCI? Start by leveraging HITRUST’s authoritative source mappings and validate them to your exact controls Focus on policy maturity, control execution, and audit-ready documentation Go directly to the source of the certification – the requirement statement’s evaluative elements and their illustrative procedures. These are the answers to the test that you’ll ultimately take as part of the validated assessment (certification). Tip 2: Automation – the Best Playing Partners Automation and repeatability are your best playing mates. Let them help you. Use Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms, ticketing systems, and cloud-native tools to reduce manual effort. Automate alerts, evidence collection, and log reviews where possible. Ensure your external assessor firm is involved in this approach, too. A good firm will be able to relay the discounts that you realize through the efficiencies that you implement. I.e., good automation can lead to reduced assessor fees. Build a documentation repository early. It saves hours if not days later on. Tip 3: Assign Captains for Each Hole We’ve all been there – a last-minute scramble and we’re not talking golf. Well defined and clearly communicated responsibilities help spread the load and prevent any scrambles to gather evidence or meet deadlines. Designate a project manager or compliance lead Align specific controls to domain experts (IT, HR, Legal, DevOps) Avoid the burnout that comes from one person trying to “own” it all Tip 4: Build Your Game One Hole at a Time New frameworks can seem daunting – it’s important to remember that every course can be tackled with the right approach. Don’t boil the ocean. Start with foundational domains (Access Control, Change Management, Risk Management, etc.) Use a phased roadmap (90-day increments) with clear progress tracking Communicate wins early and often to keep stakeholders engaged Tip 5: Bring in a Pro for the Tough Shots Everyone’s game is different. Know when to consult your caddie or even have a pro take certain shots for you. Internal teams often don’t have bandwidth or HITRUST expertise, and that’s OK! Co-sourcing with a trusted advisor allows your team to stay focused on operations Advisors bring structure, tools, templates, and proven experience Play the Long Game Think of HITRUST as your championship round; it takes stamina, coordination, and strategy. But with the right swing mechanics, your team can navigate it confidently without letting morale or leadership’s patience bunker out. Ready to lower your HITRUST handicap? Explore our HITRUST co-sourcing model to see how we support clients like you. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at: contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. Related Articles HITRUST Isn't Just Another Compliance Checkbox. So What is It? What HITRUST Isn't: 3 Common Myths ### Auto Manufacturers Investing Heavily in American Production Facing high foreign production costs because of recent tariffs, many auto manufacturers have committed to long-term domestic production investments. Key decision makers at GM, Stellantis, Hyundai and Toyota are hoping to avoid absorbing long-term losses from tariffs or drastically raising prices with large investments in U.S. manufacturing, even if it means suffering through higher costs in the short term. These investments represent the industry’s strategy to invest in American production in response to a shifting economic and political landscape. Can the quality and affordability of American-made vehicles compete in the global marketplace? Will auto manufacturers be able to maintain profits long term, despite higher startup and labor costs? The answers to these questions will determine if greater investment in U.S. production will pay off for manufacturers. If the answer to both questions is yes, manufacturers that have greater domestic production will benefit. If the answer to both questions is no, those that maintain foreign facilities will benefit. There will be a bit of a transition from shifting labor, plants, suppliers and equipment from foreign production to the U.S. During this period, consumers may experience certain vehicle shortages, fewer color choices, fewer trim options and longer wait times for custom orders. The pre-owned vehicle market may also experience a price increase if the costs of newly manufactured vehicles begin to soar. 2025 Timeline of American Production Announcements January – Stellantis pledges a $5 billion investment in its U.S. facilities, including hiring 1,500 employees and manufacturing a new midsize pickup in Illinois, building plans for the next Dodge Durango in Michigan and manufacturing the GMET4 EVO engine in Indiana. March – Hyundai announces a $21 billion investment from 2025 to 2028, with goals to produce 1.2 million units in the U.S. annually, strengthen its American supply chain/infrastructure and expand future American industries, a commitment that’s projected to generate more than 100,000 direct and indirect job opportunities by 2028. April – Toyota commits to investing $88 million in its West Virginia facility that will focus on assembling hybrid transaxles. June – General Motors plans to invest $4 billion in domestic manufacturing, with goals to increase American production of electric vehicles, V-8 engines and gas vehicles. GM estimates that this investment will enable them to produce two million more vehicles annually. Large portions of GM’s plans will involve plants in Tennessee, Michigan and Kansas. About Schneider Downs Automotive Industry Group The Schneider Downs Automotive industry group serves dealers of all sizes, from single-point locations to mega-dealerships. Our members cross departments and meet regularly to ensure efficiency in the services provided to our clients and discuss issues, regulations and trends affecting the automotive industry. To learn more, visit our Automotive Industry Group page. ### Senate Republicans Release Substitute Version of One Big Beautiful Bill Passed by the House On June 16, the Senate Finance Committee released its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill. In many ways, the proposed text mirrors the bill that was passed by the House in May (highlighted in this previous article), but there are key differences that need to be reconciled in the weeks to come between that bill and any bill ultimately approved by the Senate. A key focus Republicans are pushing for with this legislation is to prevent the automatic tax increases on individuals that would go into effect in 2026 following the sunsetting of provisions contained within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Both the House and Senate versions generally accomplish this goal by extending existing provisions, including the reduction in tax rates and brackets and the increased standard deduction. The House version generally provides for temporary extensions of these provisions while the Senate version calls for making provisions permanent. Fundamental differences between the two bills include, but are not limited to: Qualified business income deduction: The current 20% deduction, set to expire at the end of 2025, is made permanent (rather than temporarily extended as in the House version). The Senate version does not include the increase in the deduction to 23% as approved by the House. Certain key business tax incentives: Certain business tax deductions important to business leaders and Republicans include the restoration of 100% bonus depreciation, the expensing of U.S.-based research, and a business interest expense limitation using EBITDA rather than EBIT to calculate the limit on the deduction, particularly given the high interest rate environment. These provisions would be permanently restored under the Senate version, compared to a general five-year temporary restoration approved by the House. SALT Deduction: Though many expect this provision to be even further modified, the Senate bill would permanently extend the current SALT $10,000 limitation at the individual level rather than increase the deduction to $40,000. as called for under the House bill (subject to similar income phaseout limitations), while modifying the availability to use the passthrough entity tax workaround currently in place in several states. Senior Standard Deduction: The substitute amendment increases the new proposed standard deduction for seniors to $6,000, up from the $4,000 included in the House bill. Taxation of Tip and Overtime Compensation: The proposed Senate version would cut back on the amount of tip and overtime compensation earned by certain individuals that would be deducted from income by providing ceilings on the tips deduction at $25,000, and at $12,500 ($25,000 joint) on the overtime deduction with another ceiling on the amount of income before the deduction begins to phase out. Child Tax Credit: While both bills enhance the child tax credit, the Senate proposal increases the amount of the credit to $2,200, while the House version increases the credit to $2,500 with similar income phaseouts. Health Savings Accounts: The House bill would significantly expand health savings accounts (HSAs); the Senate bill does not provide any provisions for HSAs. Green Tax Credits: While both the House and Senate desire to reduce or eliminate many of these credits, a main difference between the versions is timing. The Senate generally calls for a slower phaseout, while the House calls for an immediate end to certain credits. Tax-Exempt Organization Changes: See a separate OTO for changes impacting tax exempt organizations. Other distinctions between the House and Senate versions are differences in the debt ceiling increase needed to fund government and the level of spending and work requirements related to Medicaid. The bill may be ready for consideration by the Senate next week, but it is still subject to additional Senate discussions and negotiations. The Republican Congressional goal of having a final bill ready to be signed by July 4 is possible, but the timing seems optimistic considering the differences between the two versions. Plus, any bill approved by the Senate needs to be voted on again by the House, and both House and Senate are scheduled to recess at the end of next week. Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Senate Finance Draft: Key Changes to One Big Beautiful Bill Impacting Tax-Exempt Organizations On June 17, the Senate Finance Committee released its draft of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Overall, many provisions overlap with the House bill but there were significant differences with those affecting tax-exempt organizations. We had posted a May 16 article covering the bill’s impact on nonprofit organizations; the following sections have been removed from the House version: Section 112025: Name and logo royalties treated as unrelated business taxable income Section 112026: Exclusion of research income limited to publicly available research Section 112024: Unrelated business taxable income increased by amount of certain fringe benefit expenses for which deduction is allowed Section 112022: Increase of tax rate on net investment income of certain private foundations Section 112209: Suspension of exemption for material support for terrorist organizations The following sections remained in the Senate version but were modified: Section 112021: Modification of excise tax on investment income of certain private colleges and universities. This provision follows the original House proposal with a change to the tiered structure. The Senate version modifies the thresholds and rates as follows: Student-adjusted Endowment Tax Rate $500,000-$750,000 1.40% $750,000 - $2,000,000 4% Over $2,000,000 8% The Senate version removed the tier between $750,000 and $2,000,000 and reduced the top rate from 21% to 8%. Section 110112: Reinstatement of partial deduction for charitable contributions of individuals who do not elect to itemize. This provision allows for deduction of $150 ($300 married filing jointly) for those who do not itemize. The Senate draft (Section 70424) reinstates the nonitemizer deduction permanently and raises it to $1,000 ($2,000 for married filing jointly). This provision would be effective beginning in tax year 2026. A couple of the exempt organization sector provisions that remained unchanged as of the June 17 draft were as follows: Section 112020: Expanding application of tax on excess compensation within tax-exempt organizations. This provision specifically revises the definition of a “covered employee” to mean any employee (including any former employee) of an applicable tax-exempt organization who received remuneration in excess of $1 million. Section 112027: One-percent floor on deduction of charitable contributions made by corporations. In addition to the above changes, the Senate noted additional provisions, as follows: Section 70425: A 0.5-percent floor on deductions of charitable contributions made by individuals who elect to itemize. Section 70411: Tax credit for contributions of individuals to scholarship-granting organizations. This provision creates a new income tax credit for charitable contributions made to tax–exempt organizations that provide scholarships to elementary and secondary school students. The credit may not exceed the greater of 10% of the taxpayer’s AGI or $5,000. An individual is allowed the credit only to the extent the Secretary of the Treasury allocates the credit to the individual. Students receiving scholarships will have to meet certain criteria. We continue to follow the development of the proposed tax bill and will publish updates as they become available. Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### FASB Implements Improvement for Joint Venture Formations (ASU 2023-05) According to the Ankura Joint Venture Index, global joint ventures and partnerships in 2024 experienced varied activity. "New deal volumes got off to a slow start, soared to great heights, then declined, yet ended the year 14% higher than 2023. Within this dynamic environment, three key themes emerged. Joint venture and partnership deal activity is increasing in some industries while decreasing in others. Deal structures and terms are becoming more innovative. The outlook for deals remains positive for 2025." In alignment with the rise in global joint venture activity, the FASB released ASU 2023-05, effective for joint ventures formed on or after January 1, 2025. ASU 2023-05 states that an entity qualifying as a joint venture or corporate joint venture, as defined in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) master glossary, must recognize a new basis of accounting for contributed net assets as of the formation date. The guidance indicates that joint ventures must initially measure their assets and liabilities at fair value on the formation date. Previously, there was no specified guidance regarding the initial measurement of assets and liabilities, allowing a joint venture to record contributions either at the contributing parties' carrying value or at fair value. Additional Key Considerations within ASU 2023-05: Business combination guidance within ASC 805 should be utilized to assess fair value. Assets and liabilities should be measured on the formation date, defined by ASU 2023-05 as “the date on which the entity initially meets the definition of a joint venture.” It is important to ensure that the joint venture uses the correct formation date, since it might not align with the date on which assets were contributed. Excess of fair value over net assets contributed would be recognized as goodwill. Conversely, if the net assets exceed the fair value, it would result in negative goodwill as an adjustment to equity. At the formation date, the joint venture’s measurement of its net assets should equal the fair value of 100% of its equity. Ensure that applicable disclosures are included in the financial statements, such as: Description of the joint venture’s purpose Fair value of the joint venture at the formation date Amounts recognized by the joint venture for each major class of assets and liabilities Qualitative description of factors contributing to any recognized goodwill Exceptions to the Guidance: Formations of entities determined to be not-for-profit entities Combinations between entities and businesses under common control Entities in the construction or extractive industries that may be proportionately consolidated by any of their investor venturers according to paragraph 810-10-45-14. About Schneider Downs Construction Services Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, Schneider Downs provides strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  To learn more, visit our Construction Industry Group page.   ### The One Big Beautiful Bill Impact on Construction Industry As of early June, Congress has worked through several iterations of The One Big Beautiful Bill. Here are a few common provisions across each iteration and how they could potentially help construction companies while requiring those companies to change very little – if anything – about their current operations. Bonus Depreciation Going back to his campaign trail, President Trump has supported restoring 100% bonus depreciation for eligible assets placed in service in 2025. Under current law, certain assets are eligible for an immediate 40% deduction in 2025 (phased down to 20% in 2026 and zero bonus in 2027 and thereafter) with the remaining cost being subject to the traditional MACRS depreciation deductions over the life of the asset. A construction company with $1,000,000 of eligible five-year assets placed in service in 2025 under the current rules would be able to deduct $520,000 ($1,000,000*40% bonus + $1,000,000*60% basis after bonus *20% first year MACRS deduction percentage) and could see an additional $480,000 of tax depreciation deductions in 2025 under the proposed 100% bonus provision. Qualified Research and Experimental Expenses (QREs) Under current tax law, domestic QREs are required to be capitalized and amortized over six tax periods, with the first- and last-year deduction equaling only 10% of the total amount of expense incurred during the year. These are costs associated with traditional R&D, both internally and externally, as well as with process or design improvements in other areas. The current iteration of The One Big Beautiful Bill would allow taxpayers to postpone the current capitalization requirement until tax years ending after December 31, 2029 for domestic R&D expenditures. This would result in the ability to deduct 100% of 2025 domestic QREs currently required to be capitalized. A taxpayer could also choose to elect to continue to capitalize and amortize these costs should they desire. A transition rule would require taxpayers to adopt the changes to domestic research or experimental expenditures as an automatic accounting method change on a cutoff basis for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024. Qualified Business Income (Section 199A) Deduction The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) established a temporary 20% deduction of ordinary business income from qualified pass-through entities, which included the construction industry, to reduce the top individual effective tax rate from 37% to 29.6%. This temporary deduction is set to expire at the end of the 2025 calendar year. The One Big Beautiful Bill would modify the expiring the expiring 20% deduction with a permanent 23% deduction that would bring the top individual effective tax rate down to 28.49%, saving a pass-through construction company owner roughly $11,000 in federal income taxes on $1,000,000 of taxable income. This modification does not go into effect until 2026. Business Interest Deduction Limitation (Section 163j) The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also established a permanent calculation that limits the amount of business interest expense that can be deducted by certain larger construction companies. The original calculation limited deductible interest expense to 30% of a business’s Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI), which was similar tax EBITDA. Also included in the initial limitation was an expiration on the ability to add back tax depreciation and amortization to calculate ATI. The current iteration of The One Big Beautiful Bill would temporarily re-allow taxpayers to add back tax depreciation and amortization to its ATI calculation. Without this favorable change to the ATI formula, the increased deductions received from 100% bonus depreciation are moderately offset with a 30% reduction in deductible interest expense. The final iteration of The One Big Beautiful Bill remains open for discussion and adjustment, but it is looking increasingly likely that in 2025, tax relief is on the way for U.S. construction companies. Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Construction Services Led by a diverse group of shareholders and managers, Schneider Downs provides strategic and practical solutions for our construction clients in all facets of their business. Our dedicated team of more than 350 professionals have a wide background of tax, accounting, technological and business experience in the region, specifically in Pittsburgh and Columbus.  To learn more, visit our Construction Industry Group page.   ### What HITRUST Isn't: 3 Common Myths Our previous article provided a comprehensive overview of HITRUST, including what it is, how the process works, and how it compares to other frameworks. Despite this, we still hear frequent misconceptions about HITRUST. Here are the three most common myths and the facts that set the record straight. HITRUST is Just HIPAA with Extra Steps That’s like saying private health insurance is just Medicare with extra steps. HIPAA is a law. HITRUST is both an organization and a certifiable framework that maps to HIPAA but goes far beyond it. The HITRUST CSF integrates requirements from numerous standards and regulations, offering a comprehensive approach to risk management. Only Large Enterprise Companies Need HITRUST News flash: large enterprises do not assess third-party risk based solely on your revenue or employee count. If you process electronic protected health information (ePHI) on their behalf, they care about your security posture regardless of your size. Fortunately, HITRUST offers assessment types like e1 and i1 that are designed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. HITRUST is Just a Compliance Checkbox This phrase alone will be sure to set off some Governance, Risk management, and Compliance (GRC) professionals. Organizations that treat compliance as a box to check often struggle or fall short. HITRUST is about maturity, not minimalism. It focuses on building a resilient security and privacy program that can evolve with threats and regulations. So, Do You Really Need HITRUST? Let’s be honest. HITRUST is not a one-size-fits-all solution. But if you operate in healthcare or a related field, especially if you handle (e)PHI, it might be exactly the trust signal your organization needs. You should consider HITRUST if: Your clients or prospects are asking for it. Many large healthcare organizations and insurers require or strongly prefer HITRUST certification. You are juggling multiple audits. HITRUST can streamline compliance by aligning with frameworks such as HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI, NIST, and ISO. You are scaling your business. Expanding into new markets or launching new services? HITRUST shows that you take security and privacy seriously. You want to stand out. In a crowded and regulated market, HITRUST can serve as a strong differentiator. You might wait if: You are a small operation without immediate compliance needs. Your clients are not requesting HITRUST, and your current framework is sufficient. If you are considering HITRUST, start by evaluating your organization’s needs and the expectations of your clients. Engage stakeholders across departments to understand the scope and impact. HITRUST certification is a long-term investment. It requires coordination, a clear understanding of your risk environment, and ongoing commitment across internal and external teams. Approach it as a journey and trust the process. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at: contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. Related Articles HITRUST Isn't Just Another Compliance Checkbox. So What is It? Teeing UP Success: Build a HITRUST-Ready Program Without the Burnout ### Safe Travels: 5 Tips to Protect Your Data While Traveling Getting ready for summer vacation season? These quick tips will help keep your data and devices safe while you travel. Summer is here, and many of us are booking flights and packing our bags for a well-earned break. While it’s the perfect time to relax and recharge, it’s important not to let your guard down when it comes to cybersecurity. A few simple steps can help keep your information secure while you enjoy your trip. Disable Auto Connect and Network Discovery Auto-connect makes it easier to join familiar networks and devices at home, but it can expose you to risks while traveling. If you've previously connected to hotel or airport Wi-Fi (which we don’t recommend), your device might reconnect automatically. This is especially true with hotel chains, where your device may recognize the brand, not just the location. Bluetooth works the same way. You’ve probably seen pop-up connection requests at the gym or on a plane. Leaving auto-connect enabled can make your device an easy target. Turn off Wi-Fi auto-connect, delete any saved networks and devices you don't fully trust, and disable Bluetooth auto-discovery to prevent both device discovery and being discoverable. Watch Out for All the Ishings Phishing, smishing, vishing, and quishing are always threats, but travel increases your exposure. With AI-powered scams on the rise, attackers may know you're away and target you with fake travel alerts, airline updates, hotel offers or deals that seem too good to be true. If you're unsure about a message, contact the company directly using a verified phone number or check through a trusted app to confirm its legitimacy. While communication-based attacks are easy to spot (unsolicited, urgent, bad grammar and contain suspicious links), quishing can be harder to detect in the wild. Quishing uses QR codes to deliver malicious content and is harder to detect, especially since QR codes are common for menus and payments. Some scammers even place fake QR code stickers over real ones in public places. Always verify QR codes with staff before scanning. Avoid random codes in public. When in doubt, take a photo and inspect the URL before clicking. If something seems off, it most likely is. Leave Work at Home Remote work has its benefits, but vacation is a time to disconnect – literally and figuratively. Taking your work laptop may seem helpful for staying ahead of the email avalanche, but it introduces unnecessary risk to you and your employer. If you must travel with work devices, consult your IT department to ensure compliance with security policies which may include specific VPN usage or travel-specific or limited-access device. If your company doesn’t yet have formal policies or procedures in place, our team would be happy to assist in developing them. Freeze Your Credit Cards and/or Credit Freezing your credit restricts access to your credit report, making it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. It’s a quick step you can take through any of the three major credit bureaus. Freezing your actual credit cards can also help with many banks letting you temporarily disable cards through their apps or websites. Freezing a card lasts as long as you want it to and simply restricts the card from being used anywhere. Best Practice: Only take the cards you need and leave the rest in a secure location, such as a home safe or safety deposit box. Notify your card providers if you’re traveling internationally to avoid blocked transactions due to fraud alerts. Don’t Overlook Physical Safety Protecting your data isn't just about online threats. Physical theft can be just as damaging as a cyberattack, especially when you're away from home. Use theft-resistant bags, keep your devices in sight or on your person, and never leave them unattended in public spaces. Consider using a privacy screen to guard against shoulder surfing. If you're using navigation apps, step into a store or enclosed area to avoid signaling that you're lost or unfamiliar with the area. Add an extra layer of digital security on your physical devices with Bluetooth trackers like Tile or Apple AirTag and enable "Find My Device" apps and websites, but watch out for malicious imposters. Make sure multi-factor authentication is enabled, your lock screen password is strong, and auto-lock is turned on. These steps make it significantly harder for anyone to access your device if it’s lost or stolen. Vacation is all about relaxing and making great memories, but that doesn’t mean forgetting about security. With a few smart moves, you can soak up the sun and the sights while keeping your devices and data safe. A little prep now means a lot more peace of mind later. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### Changing the Game - What the NCAA's New NIL Revenue Framework Means On June 6th, 2025, the NCAA’s landmark House v. NCAA settlement was officially approved, transforming the way student-athletes can earn money through their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights in college sports. This significant development marks a shift in collegiate athletics as a federal judge granted final approval of the settlement, introducing a new compensation framework. The decision has been closely followed by universities, athletes, and sports fans alike. With this approval, universities can now directly pay student athletes for playing college sports.  These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025. As a result of the settlement, new terms governing the relationship between the NCAA and its student-athletes will include: $2.8 billion will be paid as damages to former D1 student athletes who played prior to NIL, and lost earning opportunities. Roster limits will be implemented for each sport, replacing the sport-by-sport scholarship limit that had been in place. Athletes can be “grandfathered” on to the roster if there are student athletes who lost their roster spot due to the new limits. Salary cap for participating D1 schools of $20.5 million for the upcoming academic year. This cap will increase over time. Following this ruling, several changes will be implemented in college sports, including: Due to the roster limits, there is little potential for walk-on athletes. NIL Collectives, once a big player in the NIL space due to broker NIL agreements may be dissolved or integrated into school-led programs. NIL is not being replaced by this settlement; however, student athletes no longer have to look outside the university to be paid. Power Conferences (PAC-12, Big 10, ACC, SEC, and Big 12) have created a College Sports Commission, CSC, to enforce the salary cap, a new vetting process for NIL deals, and roster limits for teams. The salary cap does not contain a breakout of how the money should be applied to sports, but most of the $20.5 million is expected to go to the high-profile sports such as football and men’s basketball, which could draw Title IX scrutiny and lead to additional legal challenges. Some observers suggest that under these new rules, student-athletes might choose to remain in college sports longer, as they could potentially earn comparable or greater compensation than they would by turning professional immediately. Risk Management for Universities As Universities build out process and procedures to comply with this new agreement, some risks that should be taken into consideration are: Delayed Distribution of Revenue to Student-Athletes Institutions should implement robust procedures to ensure timely and accurate disbursement of revenue share payments to student-athletes. Inadequate Monitoring of Salary Cap and Roster Limits Universities must establish effective monitoring mechanisms to track sport-specific roster counts and ensure compliance with salary cap thresholds as outlined in the agreement. Insufficient Internal Controls Over Distribution Processes Internal control frameworks should be updated to incorporate oversight of student-athlete revenue share payments, ensuring transparency, accountability, and audit readiness. Lack of Stakeholder Education on New Requirements Comprehensive training and communication strategies should be deployed to educate all relevant stakeholders—including athletics staff, compliance officers, and finance personnel—on the implications of noncompliance and the operational impact of the new requirements. About Schneider Downs Higher Education Services The Schneider Downs Higher Education industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving institutions from high schools to universities. Our experience in audit and assurance, tax advisory, technology and data and more allow our professionals to stay ahead of the latest trends, developments and challenges within the education sector and provide timely and practical solutions to our clients.   To learn more, visit our Higher Education Industry Group page. ### Investment Corner: What Does a Debt Rating Downgrade Mean for the U.S.? Credit rating agencies, such as Fitch, Moody’s, and Standard & Poor’s, provide ratings of the creditworthiness of debt issuances (from sovereign nations, municipalities, and corporations) as a tool for investors. These ratings generally range from a high of AAA to D, with ratings below BBB- often considered “non-investment grade” or “junk”. On May 16th, Moody’s cut the U.S. credit rating from AAA, the highest rating that represents minimum credit risk, to AA1, which is the notch below, but still represents high-grade credit worthiness. The rating scale, running from a high of AAA to a low of C, comprises 21 notches. It is divided into two sections, investment grade and speculative grade. As one moves down the rating scale, default risk rises. Moody’s cited widening budget deficits, deteriorating debt affordability, and concerns about the commitment of elected officials to alter the trajectory for rising U.S. debt. “This one-notch downgrade on our 21-notch rating scale reflects the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns,” the rating agency said in a statement. They continued, “Successive U.S. administrations and Congress have failed to agree on measures to reverse the trend of large annual fiscal deficits and growing interest costs. We do not believe that material multi-year reductions in mandatory spending and deficits will result from current fiscal proposals under consideration.” The historic default rate for AAA-rated debt issuers is negligible, across all horizons. Even though the U.S. has been downgraded from the highest rating, the chances of a default on outstanding U.S. debt are relatively low. The implications of a credit downgrade may see yields increase (not materially as a lot of this has already been priced in) for longer-term U.S. Treasuries which could put pressure on equity valuations. While the long end of the curve is increasingly influenced by fiscal dynamics, expectations for Fed policy will continue to drive the front end of the Treasury curve. Overall, the downgrade underscores deepening concerns about the fiscal discipline of the U.S. and brings forth the question of “How much longer can this fiscal irresponsibility continue?” Source: Ratings.Moodys.com/ratings-news/443154 Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### May 2025 Market Recap Historically, the month of May has not been the strongest for the equity market. Many investors may have heard the adage “sell in May and go away”. But, if an investor sold on May 1, 2025, they would be disappointed to have missed the best May (up 6.29%) for the S&P 500 index in 35 years. The market has fluctuated along with the Trump Administration's trade policies this year. Stocks fell in February, March, and April as tariffs were threatened and added, and then rose in May as some levies were reduced and trade agreements were reached. The market’s advance in May was fairly widespread with small-cap equities (Russell 2000) up 5.3% and mid-cap equities (Russell Midcap) up 5.7%. Despite being up strongly in May, only large-cap and mid-cap indices are ahead year-to-date (the S&P 500 and the Russell Midcap are both up 1.1%), while small-cap stocks are still in negative territory (the Russell 2000 is down 6.9%). During the first quarter, investors gravitated towards more defensive companies. However, there was a rotation evident among U.S. equities that started in April. The shift away from defensive sentiment persisted in May with higher growth stocks leading the way. While growth beat value across all capitalization indices in May, the market was very concentrated with seven companies (six of the “Magnificent Seven” and Broadcom) contributing 79% of the S&P 500 index monthly return. International equities continued their relatively strong performance from the first 4 months of the year through the end of May. The equity leaders of Europe and China have the commonality of central banks that keep providing easing measures. The Eurozone has been seeing more meaningful disinflation and that is why the ECB has been more willing to cut interest rates. The biggest driver for non-U.S. investors is the currency, the EUR is up nearly 9% vs. the USD this year. As stock indices advanced in May, so did bond yields. U.S. treasuries were sharply weaker across the curve, with the policy-sensitive 2-year yield up over 30 bp, and the 10- and 30-year yields up around 25 bp. The 10-year Treasury yield rose from 4.18% at the close of April to 4.40% at the end of May – leading to a 0.7% decline during the month for the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond index. Bond investors were concerned about elevated inflation expectations, foreign buyer boycotts, the recent Moody’s downgrade and the potential for more debt and deficit spending. Despite its monthly decline, the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond index is still up 2.5% year-to-date. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### Audit and Financial Reporting Considerations Associated with Federal Funding Freezes On January 27, the Office of Management and Budget ordered a pause on the disbursement of certain federal grants, transactions and loan funds, effective the following day, a decision that has sparked ongoing legal challenges and court actions, and creating significant uncertainty for the not-for-profit (NFP) sector and any organization reliant on federal contracts. Beyond assessing the operational impact on these organizations, it’s crucial to consider the implications for financial statement reporting and how this uncertainty is communicated to financial statement users. Fortunately, the AICPA’s National A&A Resource Center’s Center for Plain English Accounting issued a report on March 19 discussing the implications of federal funding freezes for NFPs and other entities. Here’s a summary of the key considerations for the upcoming audits; the full text of the report can be found here. Accounting and Auditing Considerations Federal funding received by an organization is recorded based on the terms of the agreement and whether it falls under ASC 958 Contribution guidance or ASC 606 Revenue Recognition guidance. With potential changes in these agreements (modification, termination or pure uncertainty), organizations should reassess how the amounts were accounted for and whether these circumstances alter the accounting for these funds. If funds are recorded under ASC 958 Contribution guidance, organizations should reevaluate their federal grant agreements to determine if there is a new interpretation of whether a barrier exists that might render the grant conditional. While the funding freeze itself does not create a barrier, new insights into how the agreement is regarded might indicate a previously unidentified barrier. In general, if the probability of collectability is determined to be less than what is currently recorded, this reduction in receivable (or creation of a reserve) should be recorded in the period when the organization's expectation changes. Under ASC 606 Revenue Recognition guidance, organizations should consider these actions as a change in the transaction price, a potential adjustment to the allowance for credit losses, and potentially a contract modification if both parties have signed a change in the contract. Financial reporting considerations The financial statements of an NFP organization not only present the results of the prior year's activities but also narrate the organization's story, detailing how it operates and its ability to continue operating in the future. FASB ASC 275, Risks and Uncertainties, mandates that entities disclose risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect the amounts reported in the financial statements in the near term. These disclosures must address the nature of the entity's operations, the use of estimates and significant concentrations. The impact of funding freezes could affect footnote disclosures related to going concern, subsequent events and liquidity and availability of resources. It's crucial to critically evaluate these footnote disclosures and the impact of federal funding freezes. Providing users of the financial statements with comprehensive information about these events enables them to adequately assess the associated risks. About Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Services Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day. We provide valuable insight to not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and their boards through our assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services and not-for-profit fund accounting software.   To learn more, visit our Not-for-Profit Industry Group page.   ### HITRUST Isn't Just Another Compliance Checkbox. So What is It? It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s... HITRUST! But what exactly is HITRUST? Well, that is a complicated question. HITRUST is a risk management framework, but it’s also an organization. The HITRUST Alliance is a private entity that created the Common Security Framework (CSF), a certifiable framework that integrates and harmonizes various standards and regulations. The Alliance also developed supporting certifications (e1, i1, r2, etc.) and the MyCSF® assessment platform, a tool designed to streamline evaluations and reporting. The HITRUST Alliance governs and supports the full ecosystem of its assurance programs. In short, it holds both the gavel and the sword when it comes to HITRUST programming. At its core, HITRUST is an information protection standards organization and certifying body. Their mission is to champion programs that safeguard sensitive information and manage information risk for organizations across all industries throughout the third-party supply chain. While the HITRUST CSF is industry-agnostic, it has become the gold standard for healthcare organizations seeking to demonstrate a serious commitment to security, privacy, and compliance. Still, with existing frameworks like HIPAA, SOC 2, NIST, PCI, and ISO already in use, many organizations understandably ask: Is HITRUST really necessary? What is HITRUST Certification? HITRUST certification serves both as a recognized outcome and a powerful tool for demonstrating trust in an organization’s security and privacy practices. It provides third-party assurance to customers and stakeholders that appropriate safeguards are in place. To achieve this certification, HITRUST offers three core types of assessments, each tailored to an organization’s size, risk profile, and assurance needs. All three assessment types are built on the HITRUST CSF, which integrates and harmonizes requirements from over 100 authoritative sources. These include HIPAA, NIST, COBIT, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR, combined into a single, scalable control framework. This allows organizations to address multiple compliance obligations through one comprehensive assessment. Here is a brief overview of the three progressive assessment and certification types: Essentials, 1-Year (e1) assessment and certification for foundational cybersecurity Provides entry-level assurance focused on the most critical cybersecurity controls and demonstrates that essential cybersecurity hygiene is in place 44 controls testing “implementation” scoring only Implemented, 1-Year (i1) assessment and certification for leading security practices (2 years with rapid recertification in year 2) Provides a moderate level of assurance that addresses cybersecurity leading practices and a broader range of active cyber threats than the e1 assessment 182 controls testing “implementation” scoring only Risk-based, 2-Year (r2) assessment and certification for expanded practices (with an interim assessment in year 2) Provides a high level of assurance that focuses on a comprehensive risk-based specification of controls with an expanded approach to risk management and compliance evaluation ~375 controls, on average, testing “policy, procedure, and implementation” scoring There are also new AI Security and Risk Management assessments and certifications, as well as the ability to add-on frameworks to the r2 certification and tailor it to your organization’s needs. Our recent article provides a more detailed breakdown and comparison of each certification type. How Does the HITRUST Process Work? Understanding your customers' assurance needs is essential when selecting the appropriate HITRUST certification type. Regardless of which option you choose, the certification process is rigorous, standardized, and closely governed. Every certification is reviewed and approved by the HITRUST Alliance. This level of oversight is critical. Without it, the certification would lose its credibility. This governance is often lacking in other standards-based frameworks. The structure and thoroughness of the HITRUST process are intentional, ensuring that the trust conveyed through certification is both consistent and meaningful. The outcome of the certification is a validated assessment report and a certification badge, which can be used on your website, in documentation, or even in marketing materials. These are issued by the HITRUST Alliance through the MyCSF platform, in partnership with your certified External Assessor. How HITRUST Compares to Other Frameworks   Bottom line: HITRUST doesn’t replace these, it consolidates and aligns them. Now that we understand what HITRUST is, our next article debunks three common myths about what it isn't. How Can Schneider Downs Help? As an Authorized HITRUST External Assessor Firm, Schneider Downs has a strong track record with HITRUST protocols, providing trusted guidance and support throughout the certification process. For more information, contact our HITRUST team at: contactsd@schneiderdowns.com. About IT Risk Advisory Schneider Downs’ team of experienced risk advisory professionals focus on collaborating with your organization to identify and effectively mitigate risks. Our goal is to understand not only the risks related to potential loss to the organization, but to drive solutions that add value to your organization and advise on opportunities to ensure minimal disruption to your business. To learn more, visit our dedicated IT Risk Advisory page. Related Articles: What HITRUST Isn't: 3 Common Myths Teeing Up Success: Build a HITRUST-Ready Program Without the Burnout ### Visa Freeze at Harvard Sparks National Concern Over International Student Policies Over the past week, the State Department ordered a pause in U.S. embassy interviews related to the issuance of new student visas in an effort to enhance social media screenings of applicants. This move by the State Department comes on the heels of the Department of Homeland Security’s recent press release that halted Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students, and stated existing students must transfer or lose their legal status. The story has captured the attention of a number of higher education administrators as the implications of the situation could have ripple effects across many colleges, universities and international students. As of May 29, the measure has been temporarily blocked by a court order. While ultimate resolution may not be known until the courts decide, there may be a lasting impact as international students are a large part of the Higher Education landscape within the United States. According to the website statisticsanddata.org, there were well over a million international students matriculating in the U.S. during the 2023/2024 academic year. This record high represents a 7% increase over the previous academic year and a more than 100% surge since 1999/2000 (with trends slightly curtailed during the pandemic). The upward trajectory is expected to increase even more in the future. Given an average tuition cost of $36,000 per student across the U.S., the international contingent represents about $36 billion in annual gross tuition revenue that may be at risk. Given the consideration that many international students receive a lower discount rate associated with their tuition, it’s apparent that this impact would be significant. The current headlines should prompt schools of all sizes to stay up to date on these developing stories, as they consider the impact to budgets for both international student attendance and federal grant money. While the outcome appears uncertain, U.S. colleges and universities could be impacted in a major way. As part of the responding to this uncertainty, colleges and universities should evaluate their ability to budget and forecast and how this may impact their budget for next fiscal year. Due to some of these uncertainties, institutions are evaluating many different budgeting strategies including multiple budget scenarios or preparing and passing budgets for each quarter. Schneider Downs just recently held a webinar, Navigating Times of Uncertainty for NFPs and Higher Ed, talking about responding to uncertainty which you can access as part of our on-demand learning. As events continue to unfold, check our website for further updates on this and other topics impacting Higher Education. About Schneider Downs Higher Education Services The Schneider Downs Higher Education industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving institutions from high schools to universities. Our experience in audit and assurance, tax advisory, technology and data and more allow our professionals to stay ahead of the latest trends, developments and challenges within the education sector and provide timely and practical solutions to our clients.   To learn more, visit our Higher Education Industry Group page. ### Hello Summer: Take a Break, Not a Breach Just as sunscreen protects your skin from harmful UV rays, strong cybersecurity practices protect your data from cyber threats. Cyber threats don’t take a summer break. Whether you plan to soak up as much summer sun as possible or prefer to head indoors to bask in the A/C, here are three tips for staying secure this summer ’25: 1. Step up your Password Game One easy win for the summer is to take inventory of your passwords. If you’re using similar passwords across accounts, reusing words or just swapping letters for symbols or adding predictable numbers, it’s time to rethink your approach. Hackers know that many people use the same or similar passwords across the board, and once they get access to one account, they’ll try the same and similar passwords across other accounts. Creating a unique password for each account makes you a harder target. But, remembering all your passwords is hard, so investing in a password manager is also a great option. Want more password tips? Check out this article on World Password Day. Whether it’s a national holiday or a regular weekday, these password tips are key for keeping yourself more secure. 2. Use AI More Securely By this point, your company should’ve had you sign an Acceptable Use Policy regarding AI. But even with the best intentions, the reality is that many employees sign their company’s policy and don’t revisit it for months. It’s easy to forget what is and isn’t allowed when using a company-approved AI platform, so it’s best practice to review the Acceptable Use Policy monthly. And it’s not just about remembering not to put confidential or proprietary information into an AI platform. It’s about gaining an understanding of where your data is going and how it might be used. Even for personal use, on platforms such as Gemini and ChatGPT, conducting high-level research can help you understand how your data is used and stored. For example, if you use DeepSeek, your data might be stored in servers in China. 3. Educate Yourself on Evolving Cyber Threats Staying up-to-date on cyber trends is easier said than done. New cyber tactics are deployed on the daily, and with AI’s ever-growing capabilities, hackers can be more deceiving at a greater velocity than ever before. The emergence of AI-based attacks allows for advancements to virtually every attack method, from crafting more deceptive phishing emails to creating video and voice deepfakes. There is even new “shape-shifting” malware, powered by AI, which adapts its features to evade detection by traditional security tools. The bottom line is that increased customization and precision of AI-enabled attacks will continue to be a constant threat. While these attacks are growing more advanced, they often rely on the same red flags such as suspicious requests, malicious links and a false sense of urgency. So, brushing up on key cyber trends and attack methods can help you stay current and stop cyber-attacks before they happen. And while there are many ways to digest cyber news on the go, we recommend the Schneider Downs cybersecurity biweekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity, where we share relevant cyber news stories and information. Whether you're setting your out-of-office reply or locking up for a week-long getaway, don't let your guard down. Cyber threats don't take vacations, even if you do. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### Major Provisions in the “One, Big, Beautiful Tax Bill” Impacting the Trucking Industry The 2025 “One, Big, Beautiful Tax Bill,” recently approved by the House Budget Committee, brings a wave of tax reforms and extensions that could significantly benefit the U.S. trucking industry. With provisions aimed at boosting capital investment, easing financing burdens and assisting families in passing on their businesses through an increased estate tax exemption, the bill should provide a positive tax environment for the future for trucking firms. Section 199A: Boost for S Corps and Partnerships The bill increases the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction under Section 199A from 20% to 23% and makes it permanent. This change is especially impactful for independent owner-operators and owners structured as pass-through entities, effectively lowering their tax burden and improving after-tax income. Bonus Depreciation: 100% Write-Offs Extended A major win for the trucking industry is the restoration of 100% bonus depreciation for qualified property, including trucks and trailers. This provision, extended through 2029, allows businesses to immediately deduct the full cost of new equipment, encouraging investment in cleaner, more-efficient vehicles and reducing upfront capital costs. Section 174: R&D Deductibility Restored The bill reinstates the immediate deductibility of research and development (R&D) expenses under Section 174 for tax years 2025 through 2029. For trucking companies investing in logistics technology, route optimization software, or alternative fuel systems, this change restores the full benefit of R&D spending. Section 163(j): Interest Deduction Relief The definition of adjusted taxable income under Section 163(j) reverts to an EBITDA-based calculation (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for 2025–2028. This change increases the amount of deductible business interest, benefiting capital-intensive trucking firms that rely on financing for fleet expansion or infrastructure development. Estate and Gift Tax Exemption: Planning for the Future The bill also raises the estate and gift tax exemption to $15,000,000, allowing family-owned trucking businesses to transfer more wealth without triggering federal estate taxes.  This supports generational continuity and succession planning, a critical issue for many mid-sized trucking firms. Conclusion With these provisions, the “Big, Beautiful Tax Bill” delivers targeted relief and long-term incentives for the trucking industry. This bill resolves the sunsetting of many of provisions of the 2017 tax law and should provide the trucking industry with the opportunity for growth and innovation into the future. Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Transportation & Logistics Services The Schneider Downs Transportation & Logistics industry group includes assurance, tax, technology and management consulting professionals who combine their individual expertise to serve transportation and logistics companies throughout the United States. We possess the capabilities and industry expertise to provide our clients with state-of-the-art technologies and timely communication of the most current and pervasive legislative and regulatory changes impacting the industry. To learn more, visit our Transportation & Logistics Industry Group page. ### House Of Representatives Passes One Big Beautiful Bill – Now On To The Senate The House of Representatives narrowly passed (215-214) the tax and spending reconciliation package (the One Big Beautiful Bill) earlier this morning. It will now move onto the Senate (which will likely not take up the Bill until June 2 at the earliest after returning from recess.) It is expected that the bill will face tough negotiations between Republican Senators in its current form. Early press reports indicate that the amendments to the original proposal include an acceleration of Medicaid work requirements, an earlier ending to many energy credits, funding to reimburse states for border security, a modest increase in the SALT deduction (although it continues to contain income limitations), removal of the provision treating name and logo royalties as unrelated business taxable income, and modifications to the provisions regarding excise tax on excess compensation and the net investment income of certain private foundations from the original proposal that came out of the House Ways and Means Committee. For more information on the tax provisions of the bill, please see our article from May 15, 2025. Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Penetration Testing and AI in 2025: Exploring Capabilities, Limitations, and Best Practices Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming many industries, and cybersecurity is no exception.With new AI tools and integrations emerging constantly, it’s important to understand how AI is currently being applied in Penetration Testing (PenTesting), including its capabilities, limitations, and best practices.PenTesting and AI: The CapabilitiesWithout going into great technical depth, AI is trained to recognize and react to patterns. AI can work 24/7 without taking any breaks. AI can analyze small and large data sets, including massive code repositories and large security event logs, looking for non-standard entries. All these capabilities make AI skillful at continuously scanning assets such as networks, applications, and systems for known vulnerabilities (pattern matching). For PenTesting, AI is proficient at performing tasks such as port scanning, vulnerability scanning, and limited exploitation techniques. These exploitation techniques take advantage of known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.PenTesting and AI: The LimitationsIt is important to recognize that AI has limitations when performing PenTests. Yes, AI is trained, but it cannot perform tasks of reasoning (yet). Therefore, when AI encounters a situation that requires an understanding of business logic, it can struggle. Currently, AI is unable to implement the type of problem-solving logic and/or intuition that humans possess. If there are no known patterns for AI to learn from, it cannot connect several exploits into a path to compromise to progress a PenTest. AI is unable to adapt to situations that occur with social engineering techniques such as vishing. It goes without saying, AI is unable to perform physical testing in a PenTest engagement.As far as the PenTesting scope, AI can follow the basics, such as IP lists. However, AI struggles with making the appropriate decisions related to other testing boundaries. Exceeding scope boundaries can lead to business operation interruptions, loss of data, and ultimately, reputation loss. AI can lack an understanding of business goals and risk appetite, which human testers use to guide their decision-making processes. PenTesting and AI in 2025: Exploring Capabilities, Limitations, and Best PracticesLearn about the evolving landscape of PenTesting and AI, with key insights on the strengths, the drawbacks, and best practices for enhanced cybersecurity. Download the Whitepaper When to Use AI for PenTestingThere are ideal environments for using AI in PenTesting. Those include environments that require continuous monitoring, large-scale environments, and/or environments that experience frequent changes. It can be impractical to have human testers perform continuous monitoring. AI has no problem working with large-scale environments that are made up of similar systems. This type of testing would be very time-consuming for a human tester. Also, when environments experience frequent changes, it can be cost-prohibitive to have human testers perform PenTesting at high frequency intervals.When to Use Human PenTestersHuman PenTesters can be experienced with complex systems that contain unique architectures. They are also adept at testing custom applications. Human PenTesters can chain several exploitation techniques in sequence in order to build a complex path to compromise. In addition, human testers can adapt to social engineering engagements like vishing, where conversations can take unpredictable paths.During PenTest engagements, clients might request that the tester provide a transfer of knowledge to help build awareness and knowledge within the client staff. These are moments where the tester meets with the client, reviews their notes on screen, and describes in detail how a specific technique works within the client’s environment. This session can also include an “over-the-shoulder” moment where the tester shares their screen and executes the attack in real time while answering any questions the client team presents.Best Practices for PenTesting and AIIn the right circumstances, AI and human testers can be used in a tiered approach. AI can be used for scanning networks, code bases, applications, and systems to develop a list of potential vulnerabilities. This information can then be provided to the human tester to review, confirm true/false positives, and exploit any vulnerability that would lead to a path to compromise. The human tester can also perform any complex exploitations, business impact analyses, and knowledge transfer sessions.How Can Schneider Downs Help?Our Network PenTesting services are designed to assess your organization’s security by simulating real-world cyberattacks, such as phishing and ransomware, using the same tools and techniques employed by threat actors. As an impartial third party, we identify critical vulnerabilities across both internal and external networks. Our tests also evaluate whether these vulnerabilities are exploitable, providing a clear picture of the actual risks they pose to your IT security posture.If you’re new to Network PenTesting, simply complete our penetration questionnaire, and a member of our team will reach out to assist you in the next steps.About Schneider Downs CybersecurityThe Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind.To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page.Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### Navigating Tariffs with Onshoring: Tax Benefits for U.S. Manufacturers With most industries, navigating the impact of tariffs continues to be an important topic in the manufacturing industry. This article delves into some of the impacts of those tariffs and some tax implications on the Sec. 41 Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit and Sec. 174 research and experimental (R&E) cost capitalization. Tariffs can contribute to higher input costs for end products, which may lead to increased prices for end users if companies choose to maintain their profit margins. As a tariff is a tax on importing goods, US companies can avoid paying tariffs by removing the need to import by investing in domestic production. That said, certain tax provisions may help offset some of the additional costs associated with tariffs As tax law currently stands, companies are required to capitalize their R&E costs and amortize them over five years for onshore research and 15 years for offshore research. If US companies move their manufacturing production onshore and begin realizing these R&E costs, they will be able to utilize tax deductions quicker, which will reduce their income tax liability. Further tax benefits from onshoring labor are outlined in the Sec. 41 R&D Tax Credit. As offshore research is not able to be capitalized into the R&D Tax Credit, companies that decide to move production and research onshore will be able to capitalize more costs into their credit, and as a result, recognize a larger tax benefit. U.S. tariffs continue to have broad implications for the manufacturing sector. As these tariffs remain in effect, rising costs are prompting companies to explore strategies to lessen the impact. Potential avenues for relief may be found in Section 41 R&D Tax Credits and Section 174 Research & Experimentation (R&E) capitalization. How Can Schneider Downs Help? To learn more about available tax benefits and credits for manufacturers, please contact our R&D Tax team at contactsd@schneiderdowns.com or download our R&D Tax Credit for Manufacturers fact sheet. About Schneider Downs Manufacturing Services Schneider Downs understands the manufacturing industry from a regional, national and international perspective. Our experience in engineering-based cost segregation studies, state and local tax services, including nexus studies, as well as research and development tax credits, provides manufacturers the expertise needed to run their businesses more effectively. To learn more, visit our Manufacturing Industry Group page. ### Funding Challenges in the Not-for-Profit Industry Funding in the not-for-profit sector is a persistent challenge that affects the ability of an organization to fulfill its mission. One of the primary issues is the dependency on government funding, which can be unpredictable and subject to political changes. Recent federal funding freezes and cuts have left many not-for-profit organizations (NFPs) in a state of uncertainty, forcing them to reconsider their budgets and operations, instability that can lead to reduced services, staff layoffs and even the closure of essential programs communities rely on. Another significant issue is the competition for limited resources. NFPs often target the same grants and donations, which can create a highly competitive environment. This rivalry can be particularly fierce among smaller organizations that lack the resources to effectively market themselves or apply for large federal, state or local grants. As a result, many NFPs struggle to secure the funding they need to operate, leading to financial instability and an inability to plan for long-term projects. Restricted funding is another challenge. Many grants and donations come with specific stipulations on how the money can be used, limiting the flexibility of organizations to address their most pressing needs. This can be particularly problematic in times of crisis when NFPs need to quickly adapt their services to meet changing needs. The lack of unrestricted funding means that NFPs often have to juggle multiple funding sources and comply with various requirements, which can be both time-consuming and costly. The economic impact of funding issues on not-for-profit organizations is substantial. NFPs are a significant part of the economy, employing millions and contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP. When funding is cut or becomes uncertain, it not only affects the services provided but creates a ripple effect on the economy. Job losses in the not-for-profit sector can lead to increased unemployment and reduced economic activity in local communities. Plus, NFPs often purchase goods and services from local businesses, so their financial struggles can impact the broader economy. The need for sustainable funding models is crucial for the future of the not-for-profit sector. Many experts advocate for a shift toward more stable, long-term funding sources that can provide consistent support. This includes exploring new revenue streams, like social enterprises or partnerships with private companies and advocating for policy changes that support the financial stability of nonprofits. By developing more sustainable funding strategies, NFPs can better navigate financial uncertainties and continue to provide crucial services to their communities. Schneider Downs will continue to monitor the evolving considerations around the funding challenges face by not-for-profit sector. About Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Services Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day. We provide valuable insight to not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and their boards through our assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services and not-for-profit fund accounting software.   To learn more, visit our Not-for-Profit Industry Group page.   ### Investment Corner: How Do Tariff Impacts Flow Through the Economy So far this year, capital markets have reacted strongly to news about potential trade wars and tariff policies. In April, the S&P 500 experienced one of the worst three-day periods on record following President Trump’s “Liberation Day,” when his new tariff policies were announced to the world. The proposed policies came as a shock to capital markets, which responded accordingly. Similarly, in May, the initial steps of a trade deal between the United States and China were announced, reducing the effective tariff rate for both countries. When markets opened the following Monday, equity markets reacted positively. While equity markets tend to respond almost immediately to tariff-related news, the real implications of these policies take much longer for the economy to absorb. A similar trend was observed in 2022 when the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates. The stock market reacted to the news by falling double digits over the course of the year. Even though interest rates increased by only 0.25% in some instances, markets responded immediately, and investors adjusted their portfolios based on perceived implications. At Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, we believe that the longer-term impact of tariffs on the real economy will resemble that of rising interest rates in 2022 — it will take time. Although the effects on economic growth, inflation, and other factors may differ this time, we will have to wait and see how everything unfolds. About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Schneider Downs Wealth Management has been providing investment and retirement services since 2000. Although our service platforms continue to evolve, commitment to our clients remains our first priority. Our service is tailored to your individualized goals but built on the fundamental principles of our practice: fiduciary guidance, fee transparency and goal-based decision making. To learn more, visit our dedicated Wealth Management page. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. ### Workforce Reduction of the IRS Tax-Exempt and Government Entities Division The Trump administration's tenure has been marked by several executive orders aimed at reducing the size of the federal government’s workforce. On May 2, 2025, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released a report on IRS workforce reductions as of March 2025. In February 2025, the IRS had approximately 103,000 employees. By March, more than 11,000 IRS employees either received termination notices during their probationary employment period or were approved for the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), which allowed federal employees to resign but retain their pay and benefits through September 20, 2025. The loss of employees represented an 11% reduction in the agency’s workforce. The separations disproportionately impacted employees in certain positions. Approximately 31% of revenue agents separated, while only 5% of information technology management separated. Similarly, the separations impacted certain business units more than others. The Tax-Exempt and Government Entities (TE/GE) Division has seen the largest percentage reduction in workforce among all of the IRS business units. Prior to the reduction efforts, TE/GE had a staff of 2,239. As of March, there had been 694 departures, which represents a decrease of 31% of the workforce. As the report only covers reductions through March, it does not include the effects of three additional voluntary separation programs that were reported in April. The primary additional program is the Treasury Deferred Resignation Program (TDRP), which will largely mirror the benefits offered by the first DRP. The TIGTA reports that more than 23,000 IRS employees have applied for the TDRP. As of the end of April, more than 13,000 of those applications had been approved. Once the additional voluntary separation programs are complete, the percentage decrease in TE/GE agents will rise. If you have any questions on the potential impact of the Tax-Exempt/Government Entities workforce reduction, please contact Sarah Piot or Erin Wood. About Schneider Downs Government Services The Schneider Downs Government industry group addresses the very specific accounting and financial needs, challenges and requirements of the broad spectrum of public sector entities. We advise a range of government entities, including—but not limited to—boroughs, charter schools, counties, cities, government agencies, municipalities, public schools, private schools, townships and villages. To learn more, visit our Government Industry Group page. ### Tax Exempt Organizations and "The One, Big, Beautiful Bill" Provisions With Potential Impact On Tuesday, May 12, the House Ways and Means Committee released a draft of the Title XI budget reconciliation bill and a summary. The draft includes several provisions that would impact tax-exempt organizations, including private foundations and institutions of higher education. Among the most notable provisions are the following: Provisions impacting unrelated business taxable income (UBTI): Section 112025: The draft bill proposes that royalty income from any sale or licensing by a tax-exempt organization of its name or logo will be treated as UBTI. Section 112026: This provision amends Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 512 to increase UBTI by including the income generated from non-public research by an organization whose tax-exempt purpose is to provide publicly available research. Section 112024: This provision would reinstate the Section 512(a)(7) “parking tax” which increased UBTI by including the amount paid or incurred for any qualified transportation fringe benefits. Provisions regarding excess compensation: Section 112020: This provision expands the application of tax on excess compensation within tax-exempt organizations. The provision specifically revises the definition of a “covered employee” to mean any employee (including any former employee) of an applicable tax-exempt organization who received remuneration in excess of $1 million. Provisions impacting higher education institutions: Section 112021: Currently, IRC Section 4968 imposes an excise tax on applicable educational institutions at a flat rate of 1.4% of the net investment income. The draft amends the current excise tax by adding a tiered system based on student-adjusted endowment as follows. The first tier is a 4% rate for institutions with student-adjusted endowments of at least $500,000 and less than $750,000. The second tier is a 7% rate for institutions with student-adjusted endowments of at least $750,000 and less than $1,250,000. The third tier is a 14% rate for institutions with student-adjusted endowments of at least $1,250,000 and less than $2,000,000. The fourth tier is a 21% rate for institutions with student-adjusted endowments of $2,000,000 or more. For purposes of calculating an institution’s student-adjusted endowment, the section excludes students who do not meet the requirements under Section 484(a)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 which states that a student “must be a citizen or national of the United States, a permanent resident of the United States”. The draft bill also includes student loan interest income and certain royalty income for the purposes of calculating a school’s net investment income. Provisions impacting private foundations: Section 112022: Currently, private foundations are taxed on their net investment income at the rate of 1.39%. This section revises the tax rate based on a foundation’s total assets. The first tier is a 1.39% rate for foundations with total assets of less than $50,000,000. The second tier is a 2.78% rate for foundations with total assets of at least $50,000,000 and less than $250,000,000. The third tier is a 5% rate for foundations with total assets of at least $250,000,000 and less than $5,000,000,000. The fourth tier is a 10% rate for foundations with total assets of $5,000,000,000 or more. Provisions impacting charitable giving: Section 112028: This provision establishes a 1% floor on deductions of charitable contributions made by corporations. In the case of a corporation with charitable contributions exceeding the 10% limit, the provision allows taxpayers to add the amount disallowed under the 1% floor to the amount carried over to the subsequent year. Section 110112: This section would allow individuals who do not itemize deductions on their personal returns to still take a deduction for charitable contributions of $150 ($300 for married filing jointly). The contributions cannot be made to Donor Advised Funds or supporting organizations. This section would only be applicable for tax years 2025 to 2028. The Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit tax team is following the development of the proposed tax bill and will publish updates as they become available.   Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. About Schneider Downs Not-for-Profit Services Our Not-for-Profit industry group is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to a community of clients who serve our regions tirelessly each day. We provide valuable insight to not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and their boards through our assurance, tax, advisory and technology consulting services and not-for-profit fund accounting software.   To learn more, visit our Not-for-Profit Industry Group page.   ### "The One, Big, Beautiful Bill" (At Least As Currently Drafted) On May 12, the House Committee on Ways and Means released a version of “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” the merits of which will be debated in the House of Representatives beginning this week, with a goal to ultimately lead to the enactment of legislation. The provisions of the bill generally extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) legislation passed in 2017, increase the federal debt limit and adds additional provisions favored by President Trump. It’s part of an overall proposed legislative package, comes in at 389 pages and contains over 115 separate tax provisions impacting individuals and businesses. While there are still many pages of legislative text to digest, below are some highlights of a few of the provisions. Additional details and insight will be provided in future posts. Selected Proposals Impacting Individuals Provide for the temporary or permanent extension (or termination) of many TCJA provisions, including the extension of existing tax brackets (no millionaire tax bracket proposed). The extension prevents tax increases on most individual taxpayers, as opposed to the result of those provisions expiring at the end of 2025 and reverting to pre-2018 tax law. Provide for temporary separate deductions from income for “qualified tip income” and “qualified overtime compensation” for the years 2025 through 2028, with specific limitations and thresholds included. Permanently enhance the Section 199A qualified business income deduction by increasing the deduction percentage from 20% to 23% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, and reduces the impact of the phaseout of the deduction on specified service trades or businesses. Provide for a temporary enhanced deduction of $4,000 per eligible filer for senior citizens over age 65 with adjusted modified income under $75,000 (for single taxpayers) and $150,000 (for those married filing jointly) for tax years 2025 through 2028. The senior deduction would be available to both itemizers and non-itemizers. Permanently extend the increased estate and gift tax exemption and increases the exemption to $15 million for single filers ($30 million for couples), indexed for inflation. Reinstate a partial deduction for charitable contributions by individuals who do not itemize deductions. Provide for a second round of qualified opportunity zone investing. The provision is billed as adjusting, improving and expanding the previous policy and would allow investment from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2033. Selected Proposals Impacting Business Allow 100% bonus depreciation on the cost of “qualified equipment” acquired after January 20, 2025, and before December 31, 2030 (up from 40% for 2025, 20% for 2026 and 0% in 2027 and follows, under existing law). Allow taxpayers to immediately deduct 100 percent of the cost of certain “qualified production property,” including new factories, certain improvements to existing factories and certain other structures. Increase the maximum amount a taxpayer may expense under IRC section 179 to $2.5 million for items placed in service after January 1, 2024 (up from $1,250,000 under current law), reduced by the amount by which the cost of qualifying property exceeds $4 million (up from $3,130,000). Modify the calculation of “adjusted taxable income” and reduce the limitation on the deductibility of business interest expense for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and before January 1, 2030. Under the proposal, a business would add back deductions for depreciation, amortization and depletion. As a result, “adjusted taxable income” would correspond with the financial accounting concept of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), as opposed to being limited to earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). Allow the immediate deduction for domestic research and development expenses incurred after December 31, 2024, and before January 1, 2030. Increase the ability to use the cash receipts method of accounting. Other Provisions The bill rescinds a number of the renewable energy incentives enacted in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that passed under the Biden administration using the same procedures Republicans employed in 2017 to pass the TCJA and are now using to move the current proposal through Congress. It also contains provisions intended to remove benefits for illegal immigrants, to prevent fraud, waste and abuse, and increase the debt limit that continues to allow the federal government to operate, which could be reached as early as August 2025. Closing Thoughts While generally accepted that a tax bill will be enacted – though House passage of the current version is by no means certain – it does provide a foundation that the final package will likely be built upon and provides details that up to now were only talking points. Republicans hold a slim 220-213 majority in the House and would need to remain united before the proposed legislation is passed and moved onto the Senate, where it will also likely be further debated. Note that various state Republican House Representatives, including those in New York and California, have threatened to oppose the legislation unless the state and local tax itemized deduction limitation is increased even further than the $20,000 increase under the current proposal. Plus, fiscal hawks within the Republican Party may be uncomfortable that the proposal does not include sufficient spending cuts and will continue to increase the deficit over the 10-year window used for budget reconciliation. Like most tax-related legislative proposals, there will be likely be winners, losers and those who break even. What you can do is make your viewpoints known to your representatives and continue to monitor the legislation’s process. As we’ve noted with other proposed legislation, it’s too soon to rely upon the proposed tax changes in making decisions, but you may want to begin modeling potential impacts upon your business.   Please note: This article was written before the final version of the bill became law, so some information may no longer be current. Resources "The One, Big, Beautiful Bill" House Ways and Means Committee Summary Joint Committee on Taxation JCS-21-25 Report on the Budget Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations Related to Tax About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### The CFOs Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: The Case for Integrating Tariff Risk into Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Many companies still treat tariff-related risks as isolated, operational issues rather than integrating them into their broader enterprise risk management (ERM) framework. This article is part of a series examining the key challenges and best practices that today’s CFOs face as they navigate tariff uncertainty in 2025. Download the full guide, “The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025”, here. For CFOs looking to build resilience into their organizations, this is a missed opportunity. Tariff uncertainty isn’t just a trade or logistics issue. It’s a strategic risk that has impacts across the broader enterprise, impacting cost structures, pricing strategy, customer relationships, compliance obligations, and even capital allocation decisions. ERM is designed to help companies identify, assess, manage, and monitor the full spectrum of risks that could affect business performance. But, too often, the framework lags behind the pace of real-world events.  Tariff risk is often underappreciated in formal risk registers. It tends to get lumped in within procurement or supply chain departments, with minimal strategic oversight. But, as we are now seeing, the consequences of inaction, or late reaction, can be severe.  Given this landscape, treating tariff uncertainty as a minor operational inconvenience is no longer tenable. Here are three key areas where CFOs can drive meaningful ERM updates: Risk Identification Must Include Trade Dependencies Most organizations have a decent handle on supplier concentration or geographic exposure, but fewer have a holistic view of their tariff exposure. What percentage of our COGS is exposed to tariff-affected imports? Do we rely on any suppliers located in regions with rising trade tensions? What are the tariff classifications of our key inputs, and are there alternative codes available?  The goal is to map trade exposure across the enterprise and identify vulnerabilities that might not be obvious on the surface. Scenario Planning Should Include Tariff Shock Events Scenario planning is an essential part of ERM, but it often focuses on economic downturns, cyber breaches, or natural disasters. It’s time to add trade shocks to the mix.  Run stress tests for sudden 25% tariffs on core inputs. Consider the impact of losing access to key suppliers due to retaliatory tariffs or sanctions. What would you do if a primary distribution market suddenly imposed duties on your products? These scenarios might not be high-probability, but they are high-impact—and they are happening more frequently. Governance Structures Must Involve Cross-Functional Teams Tariff risk is inherently cross-functional.  It touches finance, legal, procurement, operations, and strategy. ERM governance must reflect this complexity. Consider creating a standing trade risk task force, or incorporating trade experts into your ERM committee. CFOs should ensure that financial modeling, legal compliance, and supply chain adjustments are aligned and reviewed collectively, not in isolation. Incorporating tariff uncertainty into ERM isn’t just about risk avoidance. It’s a chance to create strategic agility. Companies that understand their exposure and build responsive systems will not only avoid downside losses but also capitalize on upside opportunities. As CFOs take on a more strategic role in guiding enterprise resilience, tariff risk should be part of the regular risk dialogue with boards, audit committees, and operating teams. Now is the time to make sure that your ERM framework reflects that reality. If you’d like to learn how Schneider Downs’ CFO Services team can assist in navigating tariff-related uncertainties, please contact us. Other related articles in our series: 5 Things CFOs Should Be Doing Now Why CFOs Must Build Scenario Plans and Be Ready to Pivot Why CFOs Should Lead the Charge on Supply Chain Risk Assessments Why CFOs Need Agile Pricing Models The CFOs Role in Agile Forecasting and Margin Protection About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. For more information visit our Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services page. ### May 30 Reporting Deadline Looming for U.S. Persons With Interests in Foreign Entities Every five years, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) requires U.S. persons to file the BE-10 Benchmark Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad. This filing applies to U.S. corporations, private funds, trusts, estates and individuals who directly or indirectly own or control at least 10% of the voting stock in an incorporated foreign business, or an equivalent interest in an unincorporated foreign business enterprise at the end of their 2024 fiscal year. Certain ownership of foreign real estate may also trigger a filing requirement (excluding real estate held for personal use). The survey is conducted to secure current economic data on the operations of U.S. parent companies and their foreign affiliates. A response is required from all U.S. persons subject to the reporting requirements of the BE-10 survey, whether they are contacted by BEA or not. The survey will require the filer to report information such as sales and employment data, financial and operating data, export and import business, along with investments and transactions between the filer and its foreign affiliates. Filing Requirements Each U.S. person required to submit a BE-10 survey must complete the Form BE-10A and one or more of the below forms. Whether a U.S. person’s foreign affiliate is majority-owned or not and, the amount of the foreign affiliate’s assets, sales or net income of such foreign affiliate will determine which supplemental form to the BE-10A will be required. Form BE-10B: For each majority-owned foreign affiliate whose assets, sales or net income exceeds $80 million. Form BE-10C: For each majority-owned foreign affiliate whose assets, sales or net income exceeds $25 million but for which none of the foregoing items exceeds $80 million. Form BE-10D: For each foreign affiliate whose assets, sales and net income do not exceed $25 million. Filing Deadline Fewer than 50 Forms: May 30, 2025 50 Forms or more: June 30, 2025 Filers may request an extension to file Form BE-10. The extension request must be filed electronically through the BEA website. Extensions are determined on a case-by-case basis and are not automatically granted. The filer must provide substantive reasons for the need of additional time to file.  The BEA will provide a written response to the extension request. Failure to File Penalties Failure to file may result in civil penalties of between $5,911 and $59,114, with willful violations carrying criminal penalties of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year. Please contact any member of Schneider Downs’ tax practice with questions related to the filing requirement, and we can help you navigate your specific circumstances. About Schneider Downs Tax Services Schneider Downs’ tax advisors have experience and expertise in a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy & Resources, Higher Education, Not-for-profits, Transportation and others. Our industry knowledge and focus ensure the delivery of technical tax strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.   To learn more, visit our dedicated Tax Services page.  ### Overview of Accounting for German Entities in the U.S. What are the financial reporting options for German-owned entities looking to establish a subsidiary in the United States (U.S.)? Unlike many other countries, the U.S. does not have a statutory reporting requirement for privately owned organizations. While U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is the most common accounting methodology for commercial entities in the country, it is not required. Similarly, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal taxing authority in the U.S., does not mandate a book accounting methodology. Regardless of which book accounting methodology is elected, entities are converted from their book accounting methodology to the income tax basis of accounting as part of the tax provision and return process. This provides flexibility for foreign-owned companies to choose the accounting methodology that best meets their needs. Many German-owned subsidiaries in the U.S. will make the choice between U.S. GAAP or German GAAP. U.S. GAAP and German GAAP both provide a high level of reporting with financial and regulatory transparency. The two have similarities, but also significant differences. Both standards reflect their cultural, financial, and regulatory environments. The high quality of both standards is tailored to the needs of their large economies, which together account for 30% of the global Gross Domestic Product, according to the World Bank. Accounting Standards Compared: U.S. GAAP vs German GAAP German GAAP is grounded in the Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB) commercial code framework regulated by the German Federal Ministry of Justice. The German Accounting Standards Board (GASB) then develops standards for non-listed entities within this framework and incorporates select global best practices. The framework has more focus on the needs of creditors and regulatory authorities with an emphasis on conservatism and the prudence principle. U.S. GAAP is a rules-based approach, shaped by the nature of the American economy. The framework is driven by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), an independent, private-sector, non-profit organization that establishes financial accounting and reporting standards for public, private, and not-for-profit organizations. U.S. GAAP is generally more investor-focused on transparency and comparability of the financial statements between reporting entities. The differences are further complicated as U.S. GAAP has undergone substantial convergence projects with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the past decade, including Revenue Recognition, Leases, Current Expected Credit Losses and Inventory Measurement. These areas, along with the measurement of long-term assets, contingent liabilities, hedge accounting, and pension accounting, may have a major impact on your organization, depending on the accounting methodology selected. U.S. GAAP and German GAAP: Which Is Right for Your Business? When making an accounting methodology election, Organizations should consider the ultimate financial reporting needs when making an accounting methodology election, including those of management, investors and third parties. The U.S. does not require a particular chart of accounts. Given this flexibility, many organizations will choose a chart of accounts that corresponds to the parent entity, regardless of the methodology selected. Foreign entities that follow IFRS at their parent organization would generally elect to follow IFRS at each subsidiary. The IFRS elections made at the parent level should be followed by each subsidiary, as permitted by their local jurisdictions. IFRS provides more flexibility with accounting elections than German GAAP but can often be more complex. Our Resource Page contains a number of articles on IFRS accounting and current matters. How Can Schneider Downs Help? Schneider Downs provides a full range of services to organizations following U.S. and German GAAP including assurance, tax, and advisory services. For more information concerning international business matters and their impact to your organization, please contact us or learn more at www.schneiderdowns.com/international-services. About Schneider Downs International Services The Schneider Downs International Services industry group is a dedicated team of professionals specializing in serving international companies. Schneider Downs helps clients take full advantage of all their international opportunities and can reach you and your business, no matter where you're located around the globe.   To learn more, visit our International Services Industry Group page.   ### U.S. Department of Education Reminds Colleges and Universities of Their Obligations to Help Struggling Borrowers On May 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) issued a “Dear Colleague Letter (DCL)” to institutions of higher education reminding them of their shared responsibility under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to support student loan borrowers. The DOE issued guidance on the same day it resumed involuntary collections on student loans, which had been paused since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the DOE, only 38% of Direct Loan and Department-held Federal Family Education Loan Program borrowers are in repayment and current on their student loans. The DOE estimates that 25% of the entire portfolio is either in default or a late stage of delinquency. Given these challenges, the DOE is taking immediate steps to engage student borrowers and support the repayment of their federal student loans, including: Resumption of collections on defaulted federal student loans through the Treasury Offset Program and Administrative Wage Garnishment. An outreach campaign to remind borrowers of their repayment obligations and provide resources to assist them in selecting the best repayment plan. Launch of an enhanced income-driven repayment plan process to simplify enrollment and eliminate the need for many borrowers to manually recertify their income each year. The DOE noted the integrity of the loan programs has always been a shared responsibility among student borrowers, the DOE and participating institutions. Although borrowers have the primary responsibility for repaying their student loans, institutions play a key role in the DOE’s ongoing efforts to improve loan repayment outcomes. The DOE outlines the role of the institutions as: Institutions are responsible for providing clear and accurate information about repayment through entrance and exit counseling. Institutions must disclose annual tuition fees and net prices to students and their families. Institutions are required to keep their cohort default rates low to maintain eligibility for federal student assistance. The letter also urges all institutions of higher education that receive federal funding assistance to reach out to all former students to remind them of their obligation to repay any federal student loan that is not in deferment or forbearance, and that they do so before June 30, 2025. The DOE also notes that it maintains data on the repayment status of federal student loan borrowers and provides information in the College Scorecard about the status of each institution’s borrowers after they enter repayment. The DOE plans to use the data to calculate rates of nonrepayment by institution and will publish the information on the Federal Aid Data Center later this month. About Schneider Downs Higher Education Services The Schneider Downs Higher Education industry group is a dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in serving institutions from high schools to universities. Our experience in audit and assurance, tax advisory, technology and data and more allow our professionals to stay ahead of the latest trends, developments and challenges within the education sector and provide timely and practical solutions to our clients.   To learn more, visit our Higher Education Industry Group page. ### The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: The CFO’s Role in Agile Forecasting and Margin Protection As international relations shift and trade policies evolve, the resulting changes in tariff structures can wreak havoc on a company’s supply chain costs, pricing strategy, and, perhaps most critically, profit margins. This article is part of a series examining the key challenges and best practices that today’s CFOs face as they navigate tariff uncertainty in 2025. Download the full guide, “The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025”, here. In today’s volatile global trade environment, tariffs have become an increasingly unpredictable variable in corporate financial planning. For CFOs, staying ahead of these changes isn’t just about risk management; it’s about enabling agility and preserving enterprise value in the face of rapid change. Tariff uncertainty stems not only from actual changes in rates but also from the unpredictability of when, why, and how they might occur. For example, political shifts, retaliatory trade actions, or sector-specific trade enforcement can introduce abrupt and sweeping changes. Even the threat of new tariffs can cause price swings in raw materials, inventory stockpiling, or disruptions in vendor contracts. What makes tariffs particularly dangerous from a financial standpoint is their ability to erode margins without warning. Unlike labor or operating costs, which are relatively easier to control or forecast, tariff-related costs are externally imposed and can escalate quickly. A product that had a comfortable gross margin last quarter might suddenly become unprofitable if its key input is subject to a 25% tariff. Traditional, annual, or even quarterly, forecasts might be too slow to capture the fast-moving nature of tariff changes. If your financial models are built once and reviewed sporadically, you’re likely flying blind when it comes to responding to trade policy disruptions. CFOs can respond by transforming their approach to budgeting and forecasting in the following ways: Scenario Modeling with Tariff Sensitivities Every budget and forecast should include a sensitivity analysis of key trade assumptions. This doesn’t mean trying to forecast the next tariff announcement, it means structuring “what-if” scenarios for various degrees of cost inflation based on plausible tariff changes. By quantifying the financial impact under multiple scenarios, finance leaders can help their executive teams make informed strategic decisions, including whether to raise prices, shift sourcing, or delay investments. Real-Time Data Feeds and Assumption Triggers CFOs should work with supply chain and procurement teams to establish live or frequently updated inputs into their forecasting models. Inputs include 1) commodity price feeds, 2) currency exchange rates, 3) trade policy alerts, and 4) lead-time or availability data from suppliers. When these indicators breach certain thresholds (e.g., a key material increases by 5%), it should trigger an automatic review or update of forecasts and budgets. Rolling Forecasts for Margin Protection The more frequently you update your financial outlook, the better positioned you are to act decisively. Many leading finance functions have moved from static annual budgets to rolling forecasts updated monthly or quarterly. In a tariff-sensitive environment, this allows for faster response to external shocks. Rolling forecasts also support “in-flight” strategy adjustments. If a tariff scenario starts to materialize, finance can preemptively adjust pricing guidance, reallocate budgets, or pull-forward sourcing decisions. It’s a shift from reactive firefighting to proactive margin management. Tariffs are more than a policy issue, they’re a bottom-line threat. But with the right tools, processes, and mindset, CFOs can transform tariff uncertainty from a blind spot into a strategic advantage. By making forecasting more agile, assumptions more responsive, and communication more transparent, finance leaders can help their companies navigate global turbulence with resilience and protect profit margins. If you’d like to learn how Schneider Downs’ CFO Services team can assist in navigating tariff-related uncertainties, please contact us. Other related articles in our series: 5 Things CFOs Should Be Doing Now Why CFOs Must Build Scenario Plans and Be Ready to Pivot Why CFOs Should Lead the Charge on Supply Chain Risk Assessments Why CFOs Need Agile Pricing Models The Case for Integrating Tariff Risk into Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. For more information visit our Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services page. ### No Relief on the Way for Contractor’s Presentation of Retainage Unless you’re new to the accounting industry, chances are you’ve heard phrases like “606” or “Rev Rec” a lot in recent years as references to the FASB’s major overhaul of accounting guidance for revenue recognition.The much ballyhooed standard was issued in 2014, after many years of development, and finally became effective in 2018 for public companies and 2019 for private companies. Thankfully, with a few exceptions, the adoption of the new rules did not significantly alter the legacy accounting for most contractors, but one particular aspect of 606 has caused a fair amount of confusion in the last handful of years.One of the stated objectives of the FASB’s Revenue Recognition project was to improve “comparability of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions and capital markets.” In other words, the FASB intended to make it easier for users of the financial statements to compare companies.Ironically, those rules created significant diversity in practice related to a common item in the construction industry – retainage. “Retainage” or “retention” receivables represent amounts the customer can contractually withhold from the consideration billed until certain project milestones are met or the project is completed. The retention portion of each invoice is typically paid at a later date than the remainder of the invoice that is typically considered trade receivable. Prior to the adoption of the new rules, most contractors presented retainage as a component of accounts receivable on the balance sheet, but the adoption of the new rules caused some contractors to consider retainage to fall under the newly created “contract asset.”Understanding Contract Assets, Liabilities, and Receivables Under ASC 606A contract asset is defined as an entity’s right to consideration in exchange for goods or services that the entity has transferred to a customer when that right is conditioned on something other than the passage of time (e.g., the entity’s future performance). Conversely, a contract liability is defined as an entity’s obligation to transfer goods or services to a customer for which the entity has received consideration from the customer.Under current guidance, a receivable is defined as being a right to consideration that is not conditional upon anything other than the passage of time (i.e. “unconditional”). If a balance is subject to conditions other than passage of time, such as future performance or achievement of stated milestones, that balance should be reflected as a contract asset instead of a receivable (i.e. “conditional”).The Challenges of Conditional Retainage and the PCC's ResponseThe complication with conditional retainage is that each contract can only have one contract asset or liability balance, and almost all contracts already have a contract asset or liability in the form of an underbilling or overbilling. As a result, contracts with conditional retainage that are underbilled show a cumulative contract asset balance equal to the sum of the two, while contracts with conditional retainage that are underbilled show a net liability or asset. Various example scenarios are depicted in the example calculations below:  Contract #1Contract #2Contract #3Revenue Recognized $1,000,000$1,000,000$1,000,000Amount Billed $950,000$1,050,000$1,200,000Underbilling / (Overbilling) $50,000($50,000)($200,000)Conditional Retainage $95,000$105,000$120,000Contract Asset / (Liability) $145,000$55,000($80,000)Conclusions on whether retainage is unconditional or conditional have varied from company to company. As a result, many users of financial statements have been left confused and struggling to find the legacy balances they considered to be meaningful. In September 2023, the topic was raised to the FASB’s Private Company Council (PCC) and it was officially added to the PCC’s docket in 2024. The PCC explored the issue and evaluated a number of presentation alternatives, notably alternatives that would have eliminated the netting effect of conditional retainage and overbillings.After outreach and deliberation, the PCC ultimately decided that this issue did not warrant standard setting and that much of the diversity is the result of misunderstanding of, or disagreement with, the current rules. Further, the PCC believes existing disclosure templates, like the AICPA’s example financial statements for contractors, would provide financial statements users with the desired information. As a result, the PCC instructed the FASB to release an educational paper and removed this topic from its agenda in March 2025, thus dashing the hopes of those who wanted to see the presentation revert back to the pre-606 version and those hoping for presentation alternative to show contract assets and liabilities gross versus net.Disclosure Requirements Surrounding Contract Assets and LiabilitiesThe FASB’s educational paper, released in April, focused primarily on current disclosure requirements surrounding contract assets and liabilities, and provided two example templates meant to satisfy feedback from users, particularly sureties.The first example displays parenthetical disclosure of conditional retainage within contract assets and contract liabilities on the balance sheet. This aligns with the AICPA’s example financial statements and allows users to calculate underbillings and overbillings by removing the effects of the conditional retainage amounts included in the parenthetical disclosure.The second example displays disaggregated disclosure of conditional retainage with contract assets and contract liabilities on the balance sheet. In this example, the composition of contract asset and liability balances are broken out directly in the balance sheet.The FASB is asking companies to revisit the existing guidance and rethink financial statement presentation. With the recent overhaul of the revenue recognition rules and the intent to eliminate industry-specific guidance, it’s not surprising the construction industry wasn’t provided with a carveout. For now, companies will need to make sure they’re evaluating the appropriate accounting for conditional retainage and working with users of their financial statements to ensure they’re providing meaningful transparency that adheres to the disclosure requirements.About Schneider Downs Audit and Assurance ServicesSchneider Downs’ engagement teams are hand-selected by our shareholders based on skill sets and experience and are available around the clock for consultation. Each attestation engagement is subject to our comprehensive quality control and risk management system, providing an independent review of audit opinions, related financial statements and significant underlying working papers, to ensure that the highest levels of professional standards are met.To learn more, visit our dedicated Audit and Assurance page. ### The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: Why CFOs Need Agile Pricing Models As global trade policy becomes increasingly unpredictable, tariffs have reemerged as a volatile and disruptive factor in supply chain and cost management. For CFOs, tariff unpredictability poses a real challenge: how to maintain profitability and competitiveness when cost structures can shift with a single headline or Presidential executive order. This article is part of a series examining the key challenges and best practices that today’s CFOs face as they navigate tariff uncertainty in 2025. Download the full guide, “The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025”, here. Tariffs often strike quickly, without warning, and disproportionately impact specific sectors, raw materials, or countries of origin. For example, a tariff might suddenly increase the landed cost of a key input by 10% or more. If pricing remains unchanged, that increase flows directly to the bottom line. For companies operating on thin margins, even a small swing in input cost can be the difference between profit and loss. However, passing-on costs to customers isn't always a viable option. Market dynamics, customer loyalty, and competitive pricing pressures can all constrain a company’s ability to raise prices. In some industries, such as consumer goods, electronics, or automotive, price sensitivity is acute, and competitors might absorb the cost to maintain market share. This is where an agile pricing strategy becomes essential. Agile pricing is not just about speed; it’s about adaptability. It refers to the ability to adjust pricing in real time, or near real time, based on changes in input costs, supply chain conditions, competitor behavior, and customer demand. It combines financial modeling, data analytics, and decision-making agility to ensure that the company can respond to shocks without overreacting. Three reasons why agile pricing should be on every CFO’s radar: Tariffs Can Be Short-Term or Long-Term and You Need to Prepare for Both Tariffs may be political tools, temporary bargaining chips, or long-term structural changes to trade policy. Whether tariffs last six months or six years, companies need to avoid pricing models that assume permanence or transience without a clear rationale. An agile approach allows for provisional pricing changes that can be scaled back if tariffs are lifted or deepened if they persist. Not All Costs Can Be Passed Through The ability to raise prices is market-dependent. For commodity products or industries with high substitution risk, attempting to push cost increases to the customer could result in lost business. Agile pricing models allow you to identify when price increases are feasible, and when alternative margin-protection strategies (e.g., product reformulation, supplier renegotiation, or SKU optimization) are more appropriate. Your Competitors Are Watching and Responding In some industries, price transparency is high. Customers can easily compare prices across vendors. If you raise prices in response to tariffs and competitors don’t, you risk losing volume. An agile strategy allows you to monitor market signals and adjust quickly if your position becomes uncompetitive. Transparent communication, internally and externally, is also critical. Sales teams need to have talking points and rationale to explain price changes to customers. Internally, teams need to understand that pricing is now a strategic lever, not just a sales tool. Customers are more likely to accept price increases if they’re communicated early, transparently, and framed within the context of a larger economic reality (e.g., supply chain disruptions, rising tariffs, input shortages). CFOs should work with marketing and sales to support that messaging. Ultimately, pricing agility is about building resilience. In a world where economic policy can change overnight, static pricing strategies put your margins at risk. CFOs must lead the effort to embed flexible, data-informed, and market-aware pricing capabilities across their organizations. If you’d like to learn how Schneider Downs’ CFO Services team can assist in navigating tariff-related uncertainties, please contact us. Other related articles in our series: 5 Things CFOs Should Be Doing Now Why CFOs Must Build Scenario Plans and Be Ready to Pivot Why CFOs Should Lead the Charge on Supply Chain Risk Assessments The CFOs Role in Agile Forecasting and Margin Protection The Case for Integrating Tariff Risk into Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. For more information visit our Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services page. ### April 2025 – Market Recap If you had invested in the S&P 500 on March 30th, 2025, then slept for a month and woke up on May 1st, only to hear that the index had closed the month down 0.7%, you might have thought to yourself, 'Oh, I didn’t miss much, did I?' When taking a longer-term view, the daily swings that seem to happen can be less daunting. As we have previously written many times, extreme daily returns tend to be clustered and occur around the same time. This new extreme return regime is no different as the S&P 500 index posted an annual return in a single day, gaining 9.5% on April 9th, representing the 3rd best day for the market in over 67 years. The Global Trade Wars and “Liberation Day” sparked the latest extreme return regime, which has added 1 of the best and 2 of the worst days to the list. The previous extreme return regimes included Black Monday, the Dot-Com Bubble, the Global Financial Crisis, and COVID-19. As a reminder, the very best days in the market have a tendency to be right after the very worst days. We could break the month of April into two segments – the S&P 500 index declined 11.2% through April 8th and proceeded to generate an 11.8% return for the remainder to the month. While the overall monthly return of -0.7% for the S&P 500 seems relatively ho-hum, the path throughout the month was far from it! The event that splits the month occurred on April 9th when President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs he placed earlier in the month. Given their more domestic focus, mid-cap and small cap stocks fared worse in April while international and emerging markets performed positively. The Russell 2000 index (small cap equities) was down 2.3% and the Russell Midcap (mid-cap equities) was down 1.0% in April, while the MSCI EAFE Index (international developed equities) was up 4.7% and the MSCI Emerging Markets (emerging markets equities) index was up 1.3%. The U.S. economy showed signs of contraction with first quarter GDP decreasing by 0.3%. In addition to concerns about economic growth, investor sentiment deteriorated due to the uncertainty and volatility created by aggressive tariff policies. In comparison, international markets benefited from relatively stable economic conditions, stimulus announcements, interest rate policy cuts, and generally more positive investor sentiment. Just as stocks were gyrating in April, so were bond yields. The 10-year Treasury yield closed March at 4.25% but was down to 3.99% on April 4th, only to experience its biggest weekly increase since 2001 – closing at 4.49% on April 11th. As the stock market rebound started on April 9th, the bond market rebound started just a few days later as the 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.18% by month-end, helping the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond index to be up 0.4% in April. Despite the volatility in interest rates, fixed income continues to play its role well in portfolios as the ballast of the portfolio. An area of provide relief from the volatility storm that equities can bring. We remain constructive on fixed income and believe that it will continue to remain a crucial part of portfolios moving forward. About Schneider Downs Wealth Management Schneider Downs Wealth Management has been providing investment and retirement services since 2000. Although our service platforms continue to evolve, commitment to our clients remains our first priority. Our service is tailored to your individualized goals but built on the fundamental principles of our practice: fiduciary guidance, fee transparency and goal-based decision making. To learn more, visit our dedicated Wealth Management page. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SDWMA provides fee-based investment management services and financial planning services, along with fee-based retirement advisory and consulting services. Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. Excerpt: Delve into economic trends affecting the S&P 500 and learn how daily market swings fit into larger market movements. ### What We Learned: 4 Key Insights from Cyburgh 2025 The Pittsburgh Technology Council recently hosted its annual Cyburgh, PA Initiative, an event that brings together cybersecurity leaders, professionals, and executives to explore Pittsburgh’s expanding role in the cybersecurity space. As regular attendees, we always look forward to this event. It’s a great opportunity to hear directly from cybersecurity experts, from boardrooms to front-line practitioners, about the latest trends and challenges shaping the field today. Here are a few key takeaways from the day: 1. Tabletop Exercises are Surging, But Leaving Ransomware Behind One of the encouraging takeaways from the day was the growing number of organizations conducting tabletop exercises (TTXs). These exercises help assess, test, and validate emergency response plans, policies, and procedures, providing a clearer picture of an organization's security maturity. However, a noticeable trend has emerged: while TTXs are on the rise, ransomware scenarios are showing up less frequently. Why leave out one of the most well-known cyber threats? According to several speakers, it’s because many organizations believe they already know enough about ransomware to deprioritize it. But knowing is only half the battle. Ransomware remains a major threat and should still have a seat at the table. Make sure to include it in your annual TTXs. 2. Smarter Tech, Smarter Threats: How Cybercriminals are Using AI to Phish You Hackers are all too familiar with modern email systems. Add this familiarity with their growing list of AI knowledge, and you get a recipe for hard-to-detect phishing campaigns. Although the common telltale signs you’ve received a phishing email still apply, such as bad grammar and a tone of urgency, AI enables threat actors to slide under the radar and sound more humanlike with better grammar. AI also helps bad actors shift away from directing users to click on malicious links. Instead, their messaging can direct you to act outside of your email inbox and disclose information in different and potentially more detrimental ways. Overall, the velocity of AI-enabled attacks is increasing, and malicious intent is getting harder to detect now that AI is on the scene, so we must monitor our inboxes with a keener eye. 3. Collaboration and Communication Power Cyber Resiliency In today’s cyber landscape, it’s not a question of if your organization will be targeted – but when. A strong cyber resiliency strategy must be in place before something goes wrong. And a strong cyber resiliency strategy isn’t built overnight. Active collaboration and communication between cybersecurity and business leaders help foster a strong resiliency strategy by answering the hard-hitting questions, such as, What are our most critical services? What does the business need to keep the lights on in the face of a disruption? From a technical standpoint, how can our incident response planning best align with business goals and priorities? When cybersecurity maintains an ongoing and collaborative partnership with the business, they can work together to identify upstream and downstream dependencies in the supply chain, take part in scenario planning and help reinforce a strong cyber culture and resiliency best practices. 4. Data-driven Perspectives on Passwords and Privacy With Cyburgh coinciding with World Password Day, it was fitting to include a session on password security, and it delivered some eye-opening, data-driven insights. The presentation tackled the age-old question: why are passwords so easy to crack? While familiar issues like shoulder surfing and data breaches were discussed, the session emphasized a simple truth: people are predictable. For example, “monkey” remains a top password choice not because it’s secure, but because people like monkeys and tend to include things they like in their passwords. The presentation also challenged the idea that something "unique to you" is automatically secure. Think your dog’s name, Captain, makes a strong password? Chances are that thousands of others are using the same one. The session went on to question some common beliefs around password practices. Passphrases and required password changes aren’t as effective as many assume, since people often reuse words, add predictable numbers, or substitute letters with symbols. Even keystroke patterns may not be as strong as they seem. For example, “thelastkiss” is 900 times more secure than “1qaz2wsx3edc”, just take a look at how you would type the latter password on your keyboard. The key takeaway was clear: Predictable human behavior remains one of the biggest vulnerabilities, so use a password manager and vary your credentials. Events like these are why we are so proud to be members of and support the Pittsburgh Technology Council – thank you to all of the staff who made the event possible. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: Why CFOs Should Lead the Charge on Supply Chain Risk Assessments Tariff policy has been front and center in the news in 2025—and U.S. businesses are contending with near daily changes: trade wars, punitive tariffs on specific goods, retaliatory tariffs from major trading partners, and a variety of country-specific measures. This article is part of a series examining the key challenges and best practices that today’s CFOs face as they navigate tariff uncertainty in 2025. Download the full guide, “The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025”, here. Each change has brought a new wave of uncertainty to businesses, altering cost structures, delaying shipments, and, in some cases, forcing sudden shifts in sourcing strategies. The financial impact is substantial. Tariffs can increase landed costs by 10–25% or more, erode margins, and trigger cascading effects across pricing, working capital, and contractual obligations. When CFOs can’t predict what goods will be affected or how long duties will remain in place, it undermines budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning. This is why now, more than ever, companies must understand where they are vulnerable. A supply chain risk assessment, led by finance, and executed cross-functionally, is an essential step in building resilience. A supply chain risk assessment identifies potential threats to the flow of goods and materials that could disrupt operations or negatively impact financial performance. The goal of the assessment is to understand not only where risks exist but also how severe they are and what actions can be taken to mitigate them. This type of assessment allows CFOs and supply chain leaders to transition from reactive damage control to strategic, data-driven decision-making. Here’s a high-level roadmap to executing a supply chain risk assessment focused on tariff uncertainty: Process Actions Map the Supply Chain Identify Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, catalog the origin of imported materials, highlight dependencies on countries/regions Assess Tariff Exposure Cross-reference product categories with tariffs, evaluate financial impact, model cost implications Evaluate Supplier Risk Rate suppliers by tariff volatility. Assess each vendor’s financial health, flexibility, ability to relocate/adapt Review Contracts and Pricing Terms Determine which contracts allow cost pass-throughs, review terms related to lead times, penalties, exclusivity Prioritize and Mitigate Risk Identify high-risk components/partners, explore risk-mitigation strategies, integrate tariff risk into ERM framework Implement Monitoring Tools Establish a process for monitoring trade policy developments, use digital dashboards to track changes Once risks are identified, CFOs can work with cross-functional teams to implement meaningful changes. CFOs should own the supply chain risk conversation, lead a disciplined assessment of the company’s exposure, work cross-functionally to develop mitigation strategies, and treat the effort not just as a defensive maneuver, but as a competitive differentiator. In an unpredictable world, companies that understand and manage their supply chain risks will be best positioned to adapt, respond, and thrive. If you’d like to learn how Schneider Downs’ CFO Services team can assist in navigating tariff-related uncertainties, please contact us. Other related articles in our series: 5 Things CFOs Should Be Doing Now Why CFOs Must Build Scenario Plans and Be Ready to Pivot Why CFOs Need Agile Pricing Models The CFOs Role in Agile Forecasting and Margin Protection The Case for Integrating Tariff Risk into Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) About Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services provide as-needed, part-time or full-time support for your accounting and finance needs. Focused on providing accounting leadership and support services to businesses that either have limited resources or wish to supplement their existing resources with additional technical expertise, Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services can help you achieve your goals. For more information visit our Schneider Downs Managed Accounting Services page. ### IRS Releases Chief Counsel Advice on IRC Section 4960 On April 11, the IRS released Chief Counsel Advice (CCA) on Internal Revenue Code Section 4960 (see CCA 202515014) clarifying that the definition of remuneration does not include an employee’s elective Section 403(b) deferrals or contributions to Section 125 cafeteria plans. Section 4960 imposes a 21% excise tax on remuneration paid in excess of $1,000,000 to employees of applicable tax-exempt organizations that meet certain criteria. Remuneration is defined as wages under Section 3401(a) with certain exceptions. Under Section 3401(a), wages include amounts paid by an employer for services performed by an employee, including the cash value of any benefits paid in a medium other than cash. Generally, employers are required to deduct and withhold tax on these wages under Section 3402. While contributions to a Section 403(b) plan and salary reduction payments to a Section 125 cafeteria plan are not explicitly excluded from Section 3401(a) wages, IRS guidance provides that these benefits are excluded from income tax withholding under Section 3402 to the extent they are excludible from gross income. Section 403(b) contributions are excluded from an employee’s gross income and therefore not subject to income tax withholding to the extent annuity premiums and vested annual additions do not exceed the annual contribution limits ($23,500 in 2025, with catch-up contributions allowed for some individuals). Amounts in excess of those limits would be includible in an employee’s gross income and subject to income tax withholding. Section 125 cafeteria plan contributions are excludable from gross income and income tax withholding if the funds are used to purchase qualified health insurance benefits. In the CCA, the IRS held that the exclusion from income tax withholding under Sections 3401 and 3402 should be treated as extending to the Section 4960 definition of renumeration. Therefore, for purposes of calculating the excise tax due under Section 4960, remuneration should not be treated as including Section 403(b) elective deferral payments or salary reduction amounts under a Section 125 cafeteria plan to purchase qualified health insurance benefits and other health benefits to the extent each of these benefits are excluded from gross income and wages subject to income tax withholding. About Schneider Downs Schneider Downs is a Top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. We also offer risk advisory, transaction advisory, digital consulting, wealth management, retirement plan solutions and investment banking services. Schneider Downs serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), metropolitan Washington (DC) and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, and McLean, VA. ### World Password Day: Simple Tips to Strengthen Password Practices Today is World Password Day, which makes it the perfect day to talk about improving our password habits. Not to be confused with National Change Your Password Day, which is celebrated on February 1st, World Password Day is observed on the first Thursday of every May. But in the world of cybersecurity, every day is really a good day to emphasize the importance of strong password practices. And yes, despite all the security awareness training, passwords continue to be an issue. In fact, the worst passwords of 2024 still include the usual suspects, such as: 123456, 12345678, and you guessed it, 123456789, along with password and 11111. With that in mind, here are a few simple ways you can celebrate World Password Day while strengthening your password security and protecting your data. Strengthen Your Password Security with Variety Avoid using the same username and password for multiple accounts. If you use the same credentials across multiple sites, a single password leak could serve as a master key to all of your accounts. This is why having unique passwords for each account and changing them periodically are essential to improving your security. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) MFA is already a standard practice for many of us working virtually. However, be sure to enable it on your personal accounts as well. While it can sometimes be inconvenient to provide a second layer of authentication, it is an important and simple step in securing your accounts. Avoid Storing Passwords in Easy-to-Access Places Lists help keep us organized but avoid using them for storing passwords. Whether on your phone or sticky notes, passwords saved in easy-to-access places like a desktop file or a notepad may seem convenient, but they offer quick access to anyone who finds them. Clear Temporary Internet Files Regularly Many browsers offer the option to save usernames and passwords for convenience, but this convenience can be a security risk. Be sure to clear your cookies and cache regularly to ensure you are not unintentionally saving credentials you want to keep private. Use a Password Manager for Better Security Password managers provide a secure and convenient way to manage your credentials. Many of them not only store passwords but have the option for password generators and even store sensitive information. However, remember that password managers carry some risk. If they are ever breached, all of your data could be compromised. Choose a trusted solution and always use strong master passwords along with two-factor authentication for extra protection Whether it’s National Change Your Password Day, World Password Day, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, or simply a regular Monday, every day is a good day to commit to better password security and habits to protect your personal data. About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity The Schneider Downs cybersecurity practice consists of experts offering a comprehensive set of information technology security services, including penetration testing, intrusion prevention/detection review, ransomware security, vulnerability assessments and a robust digital forensics and incident response team. In addition, our Digital Forensics and Incident Response teams are available 24x7x365 at 1-800-993-8937 if you suspect or are experiencing a network incident of any kind. To learn more, visit our dedicated Cybersecurity page. Want to be in the know? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Focus on Cybersecurity. ### The CFO's Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025: Why CFOs Must Build Scenario Plans and Be Ready to Pivot In today’s volatile trade environment, few issues have introduced as much unpredictability into business planning as tariffs. For CFOs, this unpredictability is more than an operational issue, it’s a material risk to margins, supply chains, and long-term growth strategies. This article is part of a series examining the key challenges and best practices that today’s CFOs face as they navigate tariff uncertainty in 2025. Download the full guide, “The CFO’s Guide to Tariff Uncertainty in 2025”, here. As the stewards of financial strategy, CFOs must move beyond reactive cost management and embrace scenario planning as a foundational element of tariff risk preparedness. This approach not only helps companies to quantify potential exposures. It also creates an actionable roadmap for pivoting when policy shifts occur. Tariff uncertainty can erode profitability with little warning. In many cases, companies feel the impact only after the duties are imposed and the cost hits the bottom line. By then, the damage is done. Scenario planning enables CFOs to get ahead of damage by creating multiple