Corridors august 2017

Nobody Wants to Think About it Where There is a Will, There May Be Other Ways First Steps for New Caregivers Member of the Month

August 2017

C O N T E N T S

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4 Chamber Headquarters 5000 Brooktree Road, Suite 100 Wexford, PA Cranberry Twp. Office 2525 Rochester Road Cranberry Township, PA P: 724.934.9700 F: 724.934.9710

Jim Boltz President JBoltz@PghNorthChamber.com For more information on the Chamber’s program of work, please contact: Patty Bittle Marketing and Events Director PBittle@PghNorthChamber.com Al Davidson Membership Accounts Executive ADavidson@PghNorthChamber.com Kristina Hall Program Director KHall@PghNorthChamber.com Heather Schwartzbauer Membership Coordinator HSchwartzbauer@PghNorthChamber.com Amy VanAtta Executive Assistant AVanAtta@PghNorthChamber.com

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From the Innovation Pittsburgh On August 18th, we will be having the next session in our Innovation Pittsburgh speaker series.

The topic will be the Current State of Health: From Crisis to Opportunity in the Workplace and Home.

Dr. Joseph Maroon, M.D. will be our featured speaker. Dr. Maroon is regarded as a premiere specialist in the surgical treatment of injuries and diseases of the brain and spine, specializing in minimally invasive procedures. Consistently listed in America’s Best Doctors for the past 20 years, he has an international referral base, including numerous professional athletes and celebrities. He has been the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1981, and is Medical Director of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He has authored six books, and co-authored 40 book chapters and over 270 published scientific papers.

Also speaking are: Dr. Karen Hacker, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Allegheny County Health Department Anne Lavelle, Director at Cohen & Grigsby, Attorneys at Law Gwen Whiteford, M.S., C.C.C./S.L.P.- Director of Home Care, St. Barnabas Health System The topics are: The Opioid Crisis goes to the Workplace Keeping your Employees Healthy: Strategies for Live Well Workplaces Drug issues in the Workplace Medical use Marijuana How Homecare Services can Benefit You and Your Employees If you are a business owner, healthcare professional, human resource professional, parent or caretaker, you will not want to miss this presentation.

The series takes place at The Washington Place of St. Barnabas Health System, 5847 Meridian Road in Gibsonia. A continental breakfast is available at 8 am. Presentations start at 9 am, followed by a panel discussion.

A networking lunch is also available after the presentation. More details are on our website. Hope you can make it.

Member Testimonials I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my 28 years in business for myself. Joining the Chamber was not one of them.

When I started my current company Total Technology Integration in 2003, I knew I had to get in front of as many business owners as I could as fast as possible. One of the first things on my marketing task list was to join the local Chamber of Commerce.

The next thing on my marketing task list was to devote as much time as I could spare to attending Chamber networking functions. As I came to know more people through Chamber networking, the referrals began to come in.

On the other side, I was also rapidly building a list of Chamber members to refer, to supply the services and products needed by my fellow business owners, friends and relatives.

I consider the time devoted to building relationships via my Chamber membership invaluable in building my network. I have the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber of Commerce to thank for providing the countless opportunities, events and programming that have enabled us to achieve our goals.

Cletus Scalo Total Technology Integration, Inc .

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B USINESS A FTER H OURS August 3 Juniper Grill 2030 Mackenzie Way #800, Cranberry Twp, PA 16066

August 16 Max & Erma’s 936 Sheraton Dr, Mars, PA 16046

Business After Hours are from 5-7pm

E VENTS

Social Media Conference Monday, August 7 7:30am—4:00pm La Roche College 9000 Babcock Blvd.

Innovation Pittsburgh Friday, August 18 8:00am-11:30am St. Barnabas Health System | Kean Theatre 5847 Meridian Road

M ARKETPLACE L UNCH M EETINGS August 9 Bravo! Cranberry, 11:30am - 1:00pm 20001 Route 19, Cranberry Twp August 16 Monte Cellos at The Hampton Shoppes ,11:30am1:00pm 4655 William Flynn Highway - Route 8, Allison Park August 23: Cranberry Sports Grill, 11:30am - 1:00pm 1294 Freedom Road, Cranberry Twp. August 28: Family Bowlaway Fun Center, 11:30am - 1:00pm 540 Fairground Hill Road, Butler

2017 B OARD OF D IRECTORS E XECUTIVE C OMMITTEE John Tubridy – Board Chair Franchise Network of Pittsburgh Ann Gatty, Ph.D.– Chair-Elect Strategic People Solutions Philip J. Scolieri, J.D.– Vice-Chair Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Lisa Hunt - Past Chair USX Federal Credit Union

Gary Basilone – Foundation Chair Basilone Executive Search Kent Clifton - Treasurer AXA Advisors, LLC Gregg Hill – Secretary Dollar Bank Jim Boltz - President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

B OARD

OF

D IRECTORS

Tracy Armstrong, North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Judith Bernhard, Advance Sourcing Concepts, LLC

August 30: Bravo! McKnight Road, 11:30am - 1:00pm 4976 McKnight Road Pittsburgh, PA

Ryan Breen J.D., Breen Law Firm, LLC

CONNECTIONS

Andrew Chiapusio, First National Bank

Daily networking events for business leaders throughout our Pittsburgh North region Wexford: Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. Chamber Headquarters, 5000 Brooktree Rd., Suite 100 Warrendale: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. DoubleTree By Hilton 910 Sheraton Drive. Sponsored by Dollar Bank Cranberry Twp.: Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. Council Chambers, 2525 Rochester Road. Sponsored by WORD FM Ross Twp.: Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. Treasure House Fashions, 7607 McKnight Road.

Gibsonia: Fridays, 7:30 a.m. St. Barnabas Health System 5847 Meridian Road.

Steve Carpenter, Northwood Realty Steven W. Diffenderfer, NexTier Bank Todd Harris, Liberty Insurance Agency Nicholas D. Kennedy, Family Wealth Management Group John Laslavic, ThistleSea Business Development, LLC Al Marschke, ACN Business Essentials Robert O’Friel, Luttner Financial Group Dan Penberthy, NexTier Bank Jan Stevens, Coldwell Banker Kim Yerace, Petroleum Technical Services, LLC

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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PNRC Member David Kane “We can always count on David. He helps at events and on the grounds around our office. No matter what we have to do, he is always one of the first people to show up offering his time, talents and materials. Whether he is working, playing or volunteering, his knowledge and wit are enjoyed by everyone.” said Jim Boltz, President PNRC. Al Davidson, Member Accounts Executive, PNRC said, “Help with a hammer and saw, help with one of our events, joining us for golf, a Business After Hours or Connections meeting...David Kane is seemingly ever present at the PNRC. With a style all his own he is not afraid to get his hands dirty to make the chamber a little better. I know when I’m looking for some details on history or background on the latest micro-brew in the area David is my go-to guy. In a lot of ways he is the go-to guy for the PNRC generally.”

“Whether it’s the Career Fair, Taste of Cranberry or Neighborhood Business Expo, David can be found lending a helping hand. He can be found helping set-up, tear-down, carrying vendor’s items or even in the parking lot helping to park cars. He willingly helps with any task that needs to be done. He is a friendly face at Business After Hours, always offering to buy a fellow chamber member a beverage. David has his own unique wit and style about him that brings a smile to those around him,” said Patty Bittle Marketing and Events Director, PNRC. Congratulations David on being August’s Member of the Month.

Member testimonials are the Chamber’s best and most effective way to promote the benefits and services that a Chamber membership provides. Share your success with the Chamber and your story may be featured in an upcoming edition of Corridors. Email all testimonials to Patty Bittle

PghNorthChamber.com

August 2017

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Nobody Wants to Think about it by Loma Gavin Nobody wants to talk about it, much less think about it. It is aging. But we are all going to age, and there is only one alternative. So what are you going to do about your aging? Your parents aging? Your spouse? You can try to defy aging- in the world in which we live you can get Botox injections, facelifts, boob lifts, butt lifts, you can use makeup to cover it up, and exercise the life out of you. In the end you are still aging, inside and out. Aging is not a disease and need not be feared. So why am I bringing up this subject? Because there is so much more to do to keep you healthy and happy.

What is aging-in-place? According to the 2010 Census, 87% of the people age 65 and older want to age in their own homes and communities. One in ten seniors have moved to a smaller house for less maintenance. One in five have made major modifications to their homes so that they might be able to stay there. Also at any one given time only 5% of the population are in nursing homes. So aging-in-place is the best alternative; which can be in your current home, in your child’s home, in an apartment, personal care home, or assisted living in your local community.

How can you stay within your community? Or if you desire to move to another community that the climate is better or your children live close-by. There are many options and more coming available, because businesses and government are realizing that as the baby boomer generation age there is great potential. Many of the laws and regulations for Medicare are from the 1960s, so congress is starting to look at updating these. Back in the 1960s life expectancy was 66 years for men and 69 for women. Now it is 76 years for men and 81 for women and increasing

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yearly. Living longer has it’s advantages, you get to try to improve on yourself longer. As I said businesses are realizing to cater to 60 plus community helps to continue to fuel the economy. In fact, Pittsburgh and the surrounding region has been selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of 200 regions across the world that are to produce a 5 year plan for age friendly communities.

There are several organizations in our region that are involved with this endeavor. This is looking at the environmental, economic, and social factors that influence the health and well-being of all people but particularly the senior citizens of each particular region.

My own business, Aging Gracefully can help to manage and give you guidance as to how to age well. There are so many services, products, and options out there, and I can customize them to you the client. It is also very important for family to be involved because we all need to be comfortable with the aging process. Just having a safety inspection of your home can help to make it easier to stay in place. Getting rid of things that can add to possibility of falling such as slippers, throw rugs, and flip-flops. Wearing good sturdy slip-on shoes in your house instead of slippers as an example of small changes you can make. As I used to say when I worked in nursing homes; nobody grew up saying they wanted to live here, so respect the fact that this is now their home. People love their community even if it’s run down, let’s try to help make each community age friendly. After all we all want to age-in-place and be active and productive citizens throughout the years. So start now, the future is in your hands.

Submitted by: Lorna Gavin RN, ECM, Aging Gracefully

PghNorthChamber.com

July 2017

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Where There is a Will, There May Be Other Ways by Ken Eisner For example, Bob and Lucy Crosby have been married for 30 years and wisely each had wills prepared in which they give everything to the other. Upon the death of the survivor, each will provides for a charitable contribution to their favorite church, with the balance of their estate being distributed to their two adult children. Bob and Lucy have a joint bank account. They also own a house together. Bob has a secret bank account that transfers on death to his high school sweetheart. Bob has a retirement plan that names Lucy as the beneficiary and their two children as the contingent beneficiaries. Lucy has a life insurance policy which names Bob as the beneficiary and their two children as contingent beneficiaries. Bob suffers a fatal injury when hit by a misguided drone. What happens to his assets?

When Bob passes, the house goes to Lucy by operation of law pursuant to (2) above. The joint bank account similarly goes to Lucy by operation of law.

Despite what the will says, the secret bank account with a TOD designation is considered a contract and therefore transfers to his high school sweetheart upon his death.

The monies in the retirement plan are distributed to Lucy as the beneficiary.

Note that in the example above, none of the assets transfer via the will.

Lucy is so devastated by the loss of Bob (and learning about the secret sweetheart account) that she dies three months later. Now what happens?

The joint bank account which is now solely owned by Lucy is distributed pursuant to the terms of her will. Therefore, the initial distribution from the bank account is made as a charitable contribution to their favorite church. Any remaining balance from the bank account is distributed to their two children. The house is similarly transferred to their children.

The proceeds from the life insurance policy would have been distributed to Bob, but because he is deceased, those proceeds are distributed to the two children.

Similarly, unless Lucy took certain steps to change her beneficiaries, the retirement account inherited from Bob would be distributed to her children.

The above example is provided to encourage people to ensure that all aspects of their estate plans as they relate to their assets are in place. Don't assume that because you have wills that all of your assets are going to go where you think they are. Make sure that when you meet with your lawyer to go over your estate plan, that he or she not only prepares your wills (along with other estate planning documents such as healthcare powers of attorney, financial powers of attorney, and living wills), but also that all of the other documents and assets are titled in the desired way.

Submitted by: Ken Eisner, Attorney at Eisner Law, PC

Innovation Pittsburgh August 18, 2017 page 8

Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PghNorthChamber.com

August 2017

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First Steps for New Caregivers Source: Family Caregiver Alliance

When you're starting out as a family caregiver, it's hard to know where to begin. Perhaps you've only recently realized that a loved one needs assistance, and is no longer as self-sufficient as he or she once was. Or perhaps there has been a sudden change in a loved one's health. Now it's time to take action, and take stock of the people, services and information that will help you care for your loved one. The earlier you find support, the better.

Step 1 Start with a diagnosis. If your loved one is forgetful at times or has gone through a noticeable personality change, take him or her to a neurologist or diagnostic clinic. A thorough evaluation will rule out any reversible causes of dementia symptoms, such as depression, nutritional deficiencies, or reactions to medication or infection. An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, or another disease that causes cognitive impairment, has many benefits. First, treatment for Alzheimer's disease is most effective in the earlier stages and can buy more independence for your loved one. Second, knowing your loved one's diagnosis can help you plan ahead realistically. Learn as much as you can about your family member's condition. This information will confirm that you are not imagining things or exaggerating your loved one's behavior. Especially when you're dealing with dementia, learning about the diagnosis will help you keep in mind that it's the disease that is causing your loved one to gradually lose control over his or her behavior.

Many books, videos and classes are available to inform you about what you can expect as your loved one's disease progresses.

Step 2 Talk with your loved one about his or her finances and health care wishes. If your relative is able to complete a Durable Power of Attorney for finances and health care, assist her or him in meeting with an elder law specialist to draw up these documents. This planning can help relieve your immediate anxiety and make you better prepared for the future. It can also start important discussions with your family members. If your loved one doesn't have the capacity to execute these documents, you will need further legal advice to learn about your options.

Step 3 At this stage, consider inviting family and close friends to come together and discuss your loved one's care. If possible, your loved one should be included in the meeting. List the tasks that are needed so they can be more easily divided up. Let everyone discuss their concerns, as well as how much and what kind of help each person can offer. As the primary caregiver, it's best for you to focus on accepting what assistance your friends and family are offering, even if it's not exactly what you had in mind.

Step 4 Take advantage of community resources such as Meals on Wheels and adult day care programs. These resources are available so that you don't have to do everything yourself and to give you a break. You can also see if there are caregiver classes and workshops offered in your community. These education programs will help you feel more confident and make the time you spend caregiving easier for both you and your loved one.

Step 5 After all of this planning, don't forget what's most important: finding support for yourself. Caregivers often feel isolated as they take on more responsibility, and as their social lives move into the background. A support group is a good place to meet other family caregivers who have really “been there�. You can attend support groups in your community, as well as through the Internet.

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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

Talking About Important Life Issues for Elders Source: Life Senior Services According to a national survey, seniors and their adult children hardly ever discuss key aging issues with one another. Only one in three seniors report discussing health topics regularly with their kids, fewer than eight percent have discussed long-term care options with each other, and fewer than one in five have discussed life insurance or wills.

While we can’t always predict the changes we will experience as we grow older, we do know that the most common changes are related to health, living arrangements, the need for assistance, finances, and end-of-life issues. By talking about these important life issues and planning ahead, families find it easier to cope with the changes, crisis decisionmaking can be avoided, and personal control is retained even in difficult situations.

Although the majority of those surveyed said they are comfortable discussing these important issues, the reality is they seldom do. The main reason mentioned: No one is start-

Current health problems, physicians, medications, and hospital preference.

Health insurance. What kind of coverage? Is it adequate? Where is the policy?

Is there a living will? Where is it? Who is named as health care proxy?

Who would help in an emergency? A neighbor? A friend?

Do they have a key and know how to contact family?

Living Arrangements and Long-Term Care Most seniors have a strong desire to maintain their independence. Yet, growing older often brings changes that threaten this independence. Talking about options before a crisis is especially important. Topics include: Driving status. Any recent fender benders or accidents?

When was her last vision exam? Do current glasses provide adequate correction? Has he taken a driving review class lately? ing the conversation.

Need for additional help. Where would she like to receive So how and where do you start? Begin by thinking about needed help? In her home? Is he willing to use inthe “what if's.” Some questions to get you started include: home and community-based services? Is he recepWhat if I had a stroke and could no longer live alone? tive to other living arrangements, e.g. living with famWhere would I want to live? My home with help? ily, assisted living or other residential care? What With my family? Assisted living? can she afford?

What if I developed significant memory loss? Who would Financial Planning I want to pay my bills? Help me make financial or Making sure finances are in order can bring peace of mind to medical decisions? the entire family and provide protection when life changes do What if my mother had a heart attack and needed occur. Topics include: help? What in-home or community-based services General overview of financial resources and expenses. could help? What can I do?

Who can sign on the bank accounts? Pay bills in the Next you start the conversation. event of an emergency?

Setting the Stage Is there a Durable Power of Attorney? Who has been Be alert to natural opportunities to talk about these isgiven the responsibility to manage financial issues? sues. For example, if someone you know is going Has she completed any estate planning? Who are the through an aging situation, bring it up and talk about financial advisors? how your family might handle a similar situation.

Location of his bank and investment accounts, and other Discuss getting together to talk about these issues. You important financial documents. could even use this article as a stimulus for the End-of-Life Issues meeting.

These are important issues for families to discuss before the Meet in person if possible. These subjects are more diffi- time comes. When you share your wishes it means things cult to discuss on the phone. If a face-to-face meet- will be handled the way you prefer, and your family won’t be ing isn’t possible, be sure to set aside time to talk left guessing about what to do. Topics include: uninterrupted.

Desires for medical care if terminally ill. Feelings about Choose a time and place that is comfortable and relaxheroic measures. ing, and keep distractions to a minimum. Many famiIs there a living will? A durable power of attorney for lies find it helpful to avoid busy times like the holihealth care? days.

Wishes for burial and funeral arrangements. Is there a Getting Started burial policy?

Before meeting, consider making a checklist of the topics Is there a will or trust? Is it up-to-date? Where are the you’d like to discuss. documents? Who are the legal advisors?

Involve others – parents may want to talk with all their Conversations about important life issues may not alchildren together or adult children may want their ways be easy, but they are vitally important. They cause us siblings present. to look into the future and wrestle with difficult issues. These Start out slow and easy – don’t try to cover everything in conversations can help a person maintain control at a time in one marathon conversation. their lives when they may not be able to speak for themRemember to listen to one another respectfully. Some selves. They provide important guidance for a family faced families find taking notes helpful. with a sudden or difficult decision. And they can help preAreas for discussion include: serve independence, dignity and quality of life.

Health Matters Remember, most people want to have these conversaIt’s important to have a plan before health problems arise. tions, they just don’t know where to begin. So start talking.

Here are some issues to discuss:

Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

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Community Connection

Cranberry Township Audubon re-certifies Cranberry Highlands Cranberry Highlands Golf Course has once again been designated by Audubon International as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. At its June 29 meeting, Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors was formally notified of the recognition. It confirms that the golf course has maintained a high degree of environmental stewardship in a variety of areas including planning, wildlife and habitat management, education, reduced chemical use, and water quality management. To read more click here.

Cranberry didn’t happen by accident Let me get something off my chest. Cranberry is a great place to live, work and play. Just about everyone says so. But it wasn’t always that way. As far back as the 1980s, it was clear that – like it or not – growth was coming to Cranberry. So our elected officials faced a choice: whether to let that growth roll over the Township haphazardly, as it has elsewhere in the region, or to take control and steer that development toward making Cranberry the outstanding community they knew it could become. Click here to read more.

McCandless Township Get Savvy with the Savvy Citizens Mobile App Savvy Citizen officially has launched for McCandless residents. The app is FREE, and will keep residents informed on Town news and events. Click on here to sign up!

50s/60s/70s theme night and car cruise on August 10 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Whichever era you prefer, all three will be represented August 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage Center and its parking lot. Bring your own vinyl records to play and dance to inside the Heritage Center! A car cruise will be outside at the parking lot between the Heritage Center and the Lorraine G. Rogers Soccer Fields. Period dress/costumes aren’t required, but you won’t be faulted for trying. Handels will be providing free ice cream.

Lyme Disease Prevention The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) urges people to dress appropriately and use repellent when in grassy or wooded areas. Individuals should also shower and check for ticks after being outside as ticks that carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease are prevalent throughout the County. Click here to read more.

Pine Township Father Son Day at the Lake Dads, bring your son to the lake for a day of high-energy fun. Enjoy hot dogs, s'mores, flag football, kickball, fishing, and hiking. Fishing poles will not be provided. In the event of inclement weather, event will be rescheduled. Saturday, August 5 from 11:00am to 2:00pm.

Movies in the Park Enjoy a FREE family friendly movie this Summer! Don't forget to bring your lawn chair or blanket and pack some yummy snacks and drinks to enjoy during the movie. Have a little extra time? Come early for a craft/activity to go along with the movie theme. August 18 beginning at Dusk.

Kids Open Gym Night - Kickball Kids ages 8 - 12 can now spend their Friday nights at the Pine Community Center with their friends having a blast playing in the gym and enjoying pizza and snacks. Each Open Gym Night will be designated to a specific sport that will be played all night long! August 25 from 6:30pm—8:30pm.

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NexTier Bank Nonprofit Spotlight

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPICE Hospice embraces a philosophy of care focused on quality and comfort in the final stage of life when the option of a curative treatment is no longer beneficial. The Good Samaritan Hospice team works together to provide relief through pain control and symptom management, while offering emotional, social and spiritual support for the patient and family.

For most families, when curative treatment is no longer beneficial, the following weeks or months can be overwhelming for many reasons. With Good Samaritan Hospice in-home hospice care, you and your loved ones don't have to face it alone. Even more reassuring is the fact that your loved one can stay as comfortable as possible in his/her home, skilled nursing facility, personal care/assisted living complex or other residence.

At the center of Good Samaritan Hospice care is compassion. Whether in their own homes, in a facility or in one of our three inpatient hospice locations in Wexford, Cabot or Beaver, our patients are treated as family by our interdisciplinary team. Our general services include:

Pain & Symptom Management The foundation of hospice is comfort care – managing pain and symptoms when curative treatment is no longer an option. Our peaceful inpatient locations offer around-the-clock professional care if pain and symptoms become too difficult for caregivers to manage at home. These locations also provide amenities that allow family members to focus on their loved one.

Respite We understand the physical and emotional stress on you as the family caregiver. In order to provide a muchneeded reprieve, we offer short-term respite stays for our patients in one of our peaceful and homelike inpatient locations, in accordance with Medicare guidelines.

Continuous Care (In-Home) Continuous care involves the prolonged presence of a hospice nurse or aide in the patient’s home during crisis situations. It may be offered in the home when additional care is temporarily necessary to control particularly difficult symptoms, and when the family caregiver does not have the ability to manage the patient’s medical needs.

Spiritual Care We welcome all faiths and work to ensure that patients and their loved ones receive the spiritual support they need. A spiritual care team member contacts the patient upon request and schedules an in-home visitation with a professional pastoral caregiver of any denomination. Our Chaplain also coordinates bereavement support groups which present a Christ-centered perspective on the grief process. These groups, offered at various times and locations, are open to any individual who has experienced a loss, even if they have no ties to Good Samaritan Hospice.

With over 15 years of serving individuals at the end of their lives in western PA, we have the facilities, knowledge and expertise to help you and your loved ones through this process – and in the most loving way possible.

Good Samaritan Hospice, a mission of Concordia Lutheran Ministries provides inpatient care at a six-suite residence in Wexford, 10-bed care units on the Cabot campus and in the Beaver site of Heritage Valley Health System. For more information please call 724-933-8888.

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The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber would like to thank those who have renewed.

We thank you for your continued support!

20 +Years

Welcome to those who have joined!

Thank you for your referrals!

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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

Tax Breaks Available When Hiring New Employees If you’re thinking about hiring new employees this year, you won’t want to miss out on these tax breaks.

Five Tax Breaks to Consider 1. Work Opportunity Tax Credit The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is one of the tax breaks that offers a federal tax credit for employers that hire employees from the following targeted groups of individuals:

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A member of a family that is a Qualified Food Stamp Recipient A member of a family that is a Qualified Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Recipient  Qualified Veterans  Qualified Ex-Felons, Pardoned, Paroled or Work Release Individuals  Vocational Rehabilitation Referrals  Qualified Summer Youths  Qualified Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Recipients  Qualified Individuals living within an Empowerment Zone or Rural Renewal Community  Long Term Family Assistance Recipient (TANF) (formerly known as Welfare to Work) The tax credit (a maximum of $9,600) is taken as a general business credit on Form 3800 and is applied against tax liability on business income. It is limited to the amount of the business income tax liability or social security tax owed. Normal carry-back and carry-forward rules apply.

For qualified tax-exempt organizations, the credit is limited to the amount of employer social security tax owed on wages paid to all employees for the period the credit is claimed.

Also, an employer must obtain certification that an individual is a member of the targeted group before the employer may claim the credit.

Note: The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (the PATH Act) retroactively allows eligible employers to claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) for all targeted group employee categories that were in effect prior to the enactment of the PATH Act, if the individual began or begins work for the employer after December 31, 2014 and before January 1, 2020.

For tax-exempt employers, the PATH Act retroactively allows them to claim the WOTC for qualified veterans who begin work for the employer after December 31, 2014, and before January 1, 2020.

2. Payroll Tax Deduction – R & D Tax Credit Starting in 2016, startup businesses (C-corps and S-corps) with little to no revenue that qualify for the research and development tax credit can apply the credit against employer-paid Social Security taxes instead of income tax owed. Sole proprietorships, as well as Partnerships, C-corps and S-corps with gross receipts of less than $5 million for the current year and with no gross receipts for the previous year, can take advantage of the credit.

Up to $250,000 in payroll costs can be offset by the credit. To be continued next month.

Are you getting all of the tax breaks that you are entitled to? Maybe you are…but maybe you’re not. Why take a chance? Let the tax experts at Holsinger provide the guidance you need. Call Holsinger today and make sure you get all of the tax breaks you deserve.

PghNorthChamber.com

August 2017

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Thank you to our Valued Corporate Sponsors and Chamber Partners