B PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE TOM BOWMAN
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B NATIONAL TRAINING MEETING
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B MEMBER PROFILE GEORGE BELLISH
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SPRING 2015
Hacking Threats Aren’t Just for Big Business Anymore
BY RENEE FELLOWS
Hacking Threats Aren’t Just for Big Business Anymore BY RENEE FELLOWS If you thought your personal data was safe with Uncle Sam, think again. Like many other large corporations facing data breaches this year, the IRS has fallen prey to internet hackers. The unknown thief (or thieves) breached IRS firewalls through a portal called, “Get Transcript” where taxpayers can access previous year’s tax return information. Approximately 100,000 individual taxpayers are said to be impacted by the breach. Data stolen from the breach between February and mid-May has been used to file fraudulent tax returns early in the tax season, often before the real taxpayers could gather their data and file returns. Once the return was submitted, the refund was placed on an untraceable pre-paid debit cards or hard to trace bank accounts totaling as much as $5.8 billion says a report on ABCnews.com. Federal investigators are still reviewing the crime and no individual or organization has been identified as the perpetrator. The IRS will be notifying those individuals whose tax return data has been accessed. Cyberattacks aren’t just impacting large businesses either. According to research released by Symantec/NCSA, “cyberattacks cost small and mediumsize businesses close to $200,000 on average each year.” Of those businesses attacked, nearly two-thirds are “forced out of business within just six months of the crime.” PASBA member accountants bring the collective resources of a nationwide network of Certified Public Accountants, Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents and other practitioners available to answer your tax and financial questions and streamline your business accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll operations. To find a trusted accountant in your area, visit www.SmallBizAccountants.com. Please be advised that, based on current IRS rules and standards, any advice contained herein is not intended to be used, nor can it be used, for the avoidance of any tax penalty that the IRS may assess related to this matter. Any information contained in this article, whether viewed or subsequently printed, cannot be relied upon as qualified tax and accounting advice. Any information contained in this article does not fall under the guidelines of IRS Circular 230. 2
While you can’t control these data breaches, you can take steps to help protect yourself and your business.>>>
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Install and use firewalls to help protect your systems from hackers.
Use data encryption including multi-factor authentication. Usually at least a two-step process, where you turn on the authentication, email or text an initial password and then receive a second password to complete the sign in process. Use this for sensitive financial accounts where personal data is being used or stored.
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Change your password – again.
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Security questions aren’t secure at all. In a recent report by the Ponemon Institute, “43 percent of companies have experienced a data breach in the past year.” The report goes on to cite an escalation in retail breaches in the last quarter of 2013 and continuing to the present. It’s fairly easy to do some quick research on a person’s Facebook account to figure out Mother’s Maiden Name, City of Birth or even favorite food (19.7% answer pizza). Google’s security team reported that the major flaw of security questions is that they are neither secure nor reliable because ‘they suffer from the fundamental flaw: their answers are either secure or easy to remember – but rarely both.” Basically, answers that are easy to remember are easy to guess – by you and cyber thieves. Continued on next page...
Yes, it may seem like more work, but criminals are using highly sophisticated software that literally searches every possible word and word combination in the dictionary for matching passwords. Be sure to use a password that isn’t a word and contains letters, numbers and characters – the two most common passwords still used are ‘password’ and ‘123456’. The best length for passwords is between 8 and 12 characters. If you don’t want to try to come up with a password on your own there is software available that can auto-generate long multi-key passwords and store them for you. Last Pass or Password Safe are two such password storage software programs. Last Pass offers three levels of protection, basic (free) which will cover an individual for a majority of his or her needs; Go Premium, which offers additional multi-factor authentication and tech support, and Enterprise which offers multiple individual usage, reporting and configurable security for small business. 3
Hacking Threats Aren’t Just for Big Business Anymore Continued from previous page...
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Take advantage of fraud protection services when your identity has been compromised. The recent Anthem breach provided each of its impacted members with a year of fraud protection services at no cost. The service automatically enrolled the members and provided additional credit recovery services if fraud is detected. Don’t wait for your personal information to be stolen before you check your credit history. Free credit reports are available once a year from each of the major credit service agencies such as Experian or TransUnion. You also have the ability to request a credit freeze. The agency will mail you a one-time use Personal Identification Number (PIN) to unfreeze the account later. If you need to access your credit, you can temporarily thaw the freeze and then pay to have your accounts re-frozen.
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Train your employees. In the majority of breaches, it’s not that hackers broke in, but employees allowed hackers to access the company’s computer systems either by clicking on an email link or if an employee’s laptop, tablet or smart phone is stolen. By providing training, rules and awareness, employees will not only know what not to do, but how to handle a theft or possible breach should it occur.
TOM BOW MAN PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE It is an honor and privilege to serve as your President for the year 2015–2016. In the way of background, I have been a member of PASBA since 1995. I have attended every National Conference since 1997 and I can only recall missing a handful of National Training Meetings early on. I have served and currently serve on many committees. I currently serve on the Crystal Ball Committee and have served since its inception in 2005. Despite its name, this is the committee that wrote all of the Blueprint manuals. It was there that little ol’ me with my small, highly 4
inefficient practice was rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Hastreiters and Haworths of the world. What a powerful impact that had on my practice and on me. It was about that time that I set the goal of becoming a large practice which I accomplished on June 5, 2013. Something about the tortoise and hare here I think! I encourage you to get involved and learn from others who are doing things you strive to do. In fact, I would encourage you to take Teach, Learn, Share to a new selfish level. Find a PASBA member that is doing what you want to do and duplicate what they are doing. Why struggle to invent when, chances are, it is already being done? This will be the theme of my Presidency. Study the manuals first, but then go out and duplicate someone in whole or in part, whatever you need to do to get what you want. We all have been given the license to learn, so go do it and don’t be ashamed! Visit their offices, call them, steal their forms and ideas. Become the practice you strive to be. I want to thank our outgoing board members, Matt Patrick, Brent Motl and John Estess for their hard work and welcome our new board members Tony Fiore, George Bellish and Mark Clark. A special thanks to Brian
Paulson for all he did as President last year. The National Training Meeting will be held September 17–18 in Milwaukee. This is shaping up to be the best ever and I encourage you to attend and bring your staff. The Technology track looks very intriguing and I want to thank the committee members Brian McGinn, Vince Howard, Dario Zanichelli, Darlene Belter, Kurt Rickhoff. A special thanks to Tim Nolan and Brian Paulson for their leadership on this event and to Tim for his decade plus of outstanding service to this event. Save the date November 16–19 for the Fall Management Conference to be held in Glendale, Arizona (Phoenix area). The Spring 2016 Conference will be held in Baltimore Maryland May 23–26. Don’t worry; we will have things cleaned up by the time you get here! A major thank you to the website committee, Carl Corneliuson, Steve Feinberg, Brent Motl, Hunter Robinson, Robin Rosenfeld and Robb Hurst. They worked very hard to roll out the new chat board and website and what a fantastic result they achieved. Please remember to register and get your contact information in. See you in Milwaukee!
PASBA Welcomes 2015 Board of Directors Thank you to the outgoing board members for their service to PASBA: John Estess, Brent Motl, Matt Patrick. Congratulations to the newly-elected board members: George Bellish, Mark Clark, Tony Fiore.
TOM BOWMAN PRESIDENT Bowman & Company, CPA, PC tom@bowmancpa.com 410.381.8121 BRIAN PAULSON PAST-PRESIDENT
CSI Accounting Services brian.paulson@csiaccounting.com 952.927.4011
KIM BRYANT VICE PRESIDENT Bryant & Associates, P.C. bryantcpa@yahoo.com 402.423.0404
VINCE HOWARD TREASURER Howard and Company, P.A. vincent@howardcpas.com 407.333.8110 BRIAN MCGINN SECRETARY Complete Small Business Solutions brian@completecpa.com 941.926.4687 STEVE GIFT
Gift & Associates steve@giftassoc.com 717.766.3555
2015–2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Back Row, Left to Right: George Bellish, Mark Clark, Carl Corneliuson,
Brian Paulson, Brian McGinn Front Row, Left to Right: Tony Fiore, Tom Bowman, Kim Bryant, Vince Howard OUTGOING BOARD MEMBERS (Left) Brent Motl and Brian Paulson NEWLY-ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS (Below) John Estess, Matt Patrick
CARL CORNELIUSON
Corneliuson & Associates, Inc. carlc@corneliuson.net 952.920.2313
GEORGE BELLISH
Capital Business Strategies george@gmbcpa.com 330.856.4732
MARK CLARK
Mark E. Clark, CPA, PSC mark@meccpa.com 606.678.4372
TONY FIORE
Accounting Freedom, Ltd tony@accountingfreedom.com 847.949.8373
2015-2016 PASBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 5
2015 NATIONAL TRAINING MEETING SEPTEMBER 17–18 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
REGISTRATION Meeting Registration Fee $125/person* through Aug. 31 Late Meeting Registration Fee $150/person* beginning Sept. 1 CPE Credit: $25/person Transportation to Office Visits & Baseball Game: $35/person
THE OFFICE VISIT is a key component to this meeting. Allowing your staff to see how other offices successfully operate creates opportunities for them to improve their daily work routines. This year, we are excited to have organized a visit to the office of PASBA members Ed Hastreiter, Tim Nolan & Jerry Sutkiewicz.
* Thursday night event and transportation for Office Visit and event are not included in registration fee. Cancellations after Sept. 1 will not be refunded.
Milwaukee Brewers vs St. Louis Cardinals Game Ticket in reserved area, includes dinner: $90/person
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
HILTON MILWAUKEE CITY CENTER
509 W. Wisconsin Ave | Milwaukee, WI | 53203
CLICK HERE FOR HOTEL RESERVATIONS The hotel is a convenient 15 minute drive from the Milwaukee International Airport. GROUP RATE $125/night HOTEL CUTOFF August 19, 2015 The group rate is guaranteed until August 19, 2015, unless the room block fills prior to that date. Rooms and/ or modifications requested after the deadline of August 19, 2015 (or after the block has filled) will be subject to the hotel’s space and rate availability.
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This meeting is directed toward bookkeepers, supervisors and owners of PASBA member accounting firms who want to learn not only the basics of bookkeeping and supervisor training, but also best practices of successful offices. All participants are encouraged to openly share information about the daily management and marketing in their practices during all sessions. NEW TO PASBA
TECHNOLOGY TRACK – NEW!
Participants are expected to have a working knowledge of bookkeeping procedures to participate in this PASBA basics session. This session includes tips on production, client reporting, and overall PASBA processes. There are no prerequisites for attendance.
Sessions include: Using Screencasting for Training & Client Communication, Using Contact Management Software Effectively, Using QB to Process Accounts, Importing 3rd Party Items to Accounting Software.
OWNERS’ MEETING
ADVANCED BOOKKEEPER Sessions include: What is My Job Description?, Using the Client Accounting Manual, Year-End Processing, How to Review a Financial Statement/Red Flags. In addition, all Advanced Bookkeepers will attend a Mock Bookkeeper Meeting.
PASBA members are invited to participate in discussions about PASBA best practices, marketing, and current technologies with other owners of PASBA practices. This meeting is viewed as an Open Roundtable Discussion.
QUESTIONS?
SUPERVISOR Sessions include: What is My Job Description?, Using the Client Accounting Manual, Year-Round Tax Planning/Tax Planning Meetings with Clients, Moderating Bookkeeper Production. In addition, all Supervisors will attend a Mock Bookkeeper Meeting.
Please contact Jordan Bennett in the PASBA Central Office. E-MAIL jbennett@dci-kansascity.com | PH 866.296.0001
PASBA is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org. Delivery method for these sessions is Group Live. Conference participants can earn up to 6 credits in the areas of Accounting, Business Management & Organization, Computer Science.
AGENDA
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm Office Visit Times subject to change.
All meetings are on the following schedule: 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Breakfast
Arrival at Friday’s Front Row in Miller Park by 6:00 pm
9:00 am – 11:45 am
Meeting
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Lunch
12:45 pm – 5:00 pm
Meeting
7:10 pm Milwaukee Brewers vs St. Louis Cardinals
–VS– SEE TWO OF MLB’S TOP TEAMS FACE EACH OTHER IN AN EXCITING SHOWDOWN FROM THE FRIDAY’S FRONT ROW SECTION IN LEFT FIELD.
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IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE YOUR TOOLS Quantify how your firm operates
It’s one thing to have software for everything. It’s another to have a tool that enables you to make better decisions. Don’t just upgrade your tools, upgrade your practice.
officetools.com 8
Congratulations to the 2015 PASBA Award Winners The Professional Association of Small Business Accountants held its 9th Annual Awards Ceremony at the 2015 Spring Marketing Conference in Colorado Springs on Wednesday, May 13. Five well-deserving members were honored with awards during the conference dinner party, located at The Broadmoor. CLICK WINNER’S NAME TO VIEW AWARD PRESENTATION
RYAN McCOWAN New Member of the Year MARK CLARK Small Practice Accounting Firm of the Year BRIAN MCGINN Medium Practice Accounting Firm of the Year VINCE HOWARD Large Practice Accounting Firm of the Year RAY BUSCH Lifetime Achievement Award
2015 PASBA AWARD WINNERS Left to Right:t Brian McGinn, Vince Howard, Ray Busch, Mark Clark (not pictured, Ryan McCowan)
20 15 Spring Marketing Conference Videos 2015 Spring Marketing Conference videos and materials are now available for purchase by clicking here. If you paid to attend the conference, the materials and videos are included in your conference fee. Materials were provided to you in the dropbox link used for handouts. Videos may be accessed on the Dillner’s site as usual. RECORDED SESSIONS INCLUDE: + 10 Best Marketing Tips Panel + Strategies for Retaining Your Staff Panel + PresentationMastery with Chuck Bauer + Competitive Advantages with Chuck Bauer + How & Why to Use PASBA Website Practice Stats
+ Preventing Buyer’s Remorse: The First 90 Days + Consulting: When to Charge & How Much + Best Practices to Keep Clients Happy + Live Payroll Sales Presentation
Why is Dave smiling? - His clients pay less tax - His practice is booming - He bills what he’s worth - He’s a member
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MEMBER PROFILE
Who has had the most influence on your practice? My parents have had the most influence on my practice. My mom set appointments for me for many years. I have a client that still tells me the story of how my mom cold called her 25 years ago and once she found out it was my mom calling, she liked the family setting and became a client. My dad was great in woodworking. He built most of my office furniture and helped in any other way he could.
Who is your favorite client and why? My favorite client is a testing equipment manufacturer that my brother-in-law owns. Over the past 40 years I watched him grow up, helped him start his company in 2000 and now he is very successful. It gives me a great feeling to be able to help him as well as all my other clients. What marketing, technology or practice tool could you not live without and why is it so important to you? Recently, I installed 4 monitors on my desk. They have made me more efficient and would recommend doing this immediately.
What is your most memorable PASBA conference experience? The most memorable PASBA conference experience was in Austin at the piano bar, when GEORGE BELLISH What is a unique idea that everybody “let their hair down” you use in your office and CAPITAL BUSINESS STRATEGIES and had a lot of fun. In PASBA, think might be beneficial for Warren, Ohio there has always been a family others to try? atmosphere. There are not many As everyone knows it is hard professional organizations that work as hard as we do to find good employees. So I try to surprise them and also have as much fun as we do! occasionally and have some fun. About 3:00 on a work What is something you have done in your practice day, I will walk the halls telling all of them that “I am feeling Mexican. They know that that is code for shutting that you would NOT do again or would not down their computers and going to a Mexican restaurant recommend other PASBA members do and why? down the street for drinks. It always puts a smile on their Over the years, I have tried many different ways to face and it is great for morale. market. These are the ones that I would not do again: billboards, newspaper and yellow pages. They are If there is one, what aspect of the PASBA system are outdated and inefficient. you trying to implement in your office right now? I am in process of setting up CID production What brought you to the accounting profession? management software. After 30 years in practice, I finally I started at Youngstown State University in Civil got it through my thick head that I need this to manage Engineering. I didn’t like it. I switched to Accounting, took my practice. an accounting class and liked it. After I graduated, I really didn’t want to be an accountant but I thought I better try it and the rest is history!
Welcome New PASBA Members! CRIS VILLARREAL
Cris Villareal, PLLC // Harlingen, TX
CARLOS GUAMAN
El Triunfo Corporation // Santa Ana, CA
BILL BEASLEY
W.T. Beasley, CPA, PC // Peoria, AZ 11
2015 Upcoming Regional Meetings Central Region Meetings Friday, June 19 Friday, August 21 Friday, October 16 Saturday, December 19
New PASBA Website Have you created your profile yet and selected your preferences for communities and message delivery? There are four simple steps you need to follow to start taking advantage of the new system: LOGIN
Login using the same username and password you use to access the members-only website. community.pasba.org Update your profile by clicking on the link to import your LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, simply enter your info on the profile page. Join a community. Engage in conversations on the topics of your choice. Each member has been automatically subscribed to the following communities: Accounting, Tax, Payroll, Practice Management and the Open Forum.
Mid-Atlantic Region Meetings Friday, June 19
South Region Webinars Friday, June 19 Friday, July 24 Friday, August 14 Friday, September 18 Friday, October 16 Monday, November 16 Friday, December 4 Friday, January 8
Florida Meeting Friday, July 31 Friday, September 25
Start a conversation. Post a message in one of the discussion groups. CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED ➤ Please contact The Central Office or a member of the website committee with any questions or comments.
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Carl Corneliuson carlc@corneliuson.net
Brent Motl brent@charlesmotl.com
Steve Feinberg steve@appletreebusiness.com
Robin Rosenfeld robin@rosenfeldandco.com
Hunter Robinson hrobinson@robinsoncpafirm.com
Robb Hurst robb.hurst@hurstandhurst.com
SAVE THE DATE!
NOVEMBER 16-19 GLENDALE, AZ
2015 Fall Management Conference
+++ THE WIGWAM +++
Room Rate: $179 + $15 daily resort fee
PASBA WANTS TO RECOGNIZE YOU! Have you or another PASBA member recently changed practice size? Acquired a new practice? Received a new certification? Been featured in a publication? Received an award?
--- OR --Do you have an article you would like to publish in the PASBA Insider? Do you have a topic you would like to know more about? If you have any ideas or articles that you think the rest of the membership should see, please let us know! CONTACT PASBA CENTRAL OFFICE
director@pasba.org // 866.296.0001
CENTRAL OFFICE
JORDAN BENNETT
SHELBY McMILLIN
6405 METCALF AVE., SUITE 503 SHAWNEE MISSION, KS 66202
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PASBA MEMBER/VENDOR DIRECTOR
jbennett@dci-kansascity.com 913.387.5607
smcmillin@dci-kansascity.com 913.387.5606
pasbaco@dci-kansascity.com 866.296.0001
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