Building Baltimore’s Best Business Bank

by April Marasco @ Howard Bank

Tue Aug 22 05:45:39 PDT 2017

We are committed to building Baltimore’s Best Business Bank. Howard Bank and 1st Mariner Bank jointly announced the signing of an agreement where Howard Bank will acquire 1st Mariner. The combination of Howard Bank and 1st Mariner Bank enables us to achieve the vision of becoming the region’s leading business bank in a relentless way. Together, we become …
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Starting 2018 Off Right

by April Marasco @ Howard Bank

Mon Dec 18 16:27:16 PST 2017

As 2017 comes to an end and 2018 is imminent, here are a few ideas for getting a great start to the new year.   To recap: Examine the trends. Take stock of competitors. Eliminate things that are not working. Update your website, social media, marketing, and sales strategies. Set goals for 2018. And remember, we’re …
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How to Cope with Nicotine Withdrawal

by @ How to of the Day

Fri Mar 23 01:00:00 PDT 2018

If you have been a smoker for a while, you may experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms—intense cravings, headaches, anger, trouble sleeping, and even anxiety or depression—when you attempt to quit. These undesirable side effects of quitting may tempt you to pick the habit back up. But, if you seek support, come up with a plan to deal with triggers, and practice good self-care, the symptoms will eventually subside. Hold out and give it time— you'll get through withdrawal and be smoke-free sooner than you think!

Mobile App and Remote Deposit Capture

by Bart Rydzewski @ Greater Metro Federal Credit Union

Tue Oct 03 13:26:27 PDT 2017

Download the Greater Metro FCU Mobile App from either Apple App Store, Android Google Play or Amazon Appstore on your device. In your store’s search, type in “Greater Metro FCU”, and you will find the free app. Remote Deposit Capture is part of the Mobile App and will allow you to deposit checks without visiting... Read more »

How to Break Boards with Your Bare Hands

by @ How to of the Day

Thu Mar 22 17:00:00 PDT 2018

Learning how to break boards with your bare hands can be done right at home. Start by conditioning your hands to get them ready for striking, and make sure your board is set up properly and safely. By having confidence in your ability to break the board and following some simple strategies, you'll soon master the martial arts stunt of board-breaking.

Payroll records

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Tue Mar 27 12:00:00 PDT 2018

Payroll records contain information about the compensation paid to employees and any deductions from their pay. These records are needed by the payroll staff to calculate gross pay and net pay for employees. Payroll records typically include information about the following items:

• Bereavement pay
• Bonuses
• Commissions
• Deductions for pensions, benefits, charitable contributions, stock purchase plans, and so forth
• Direct deposit information
• Gross wages
• Hours worked
• Manual check payments
• Net wages paid
• Salary rates
• Vacation and/or sick pay

The information in payroll records have traditionally been stored on paper documents, but can also be recorded as electronic documents.

Payroll records can be considered a subset of the information stored in human resources records, which can contain considerably more information than items pertaining to just employee pay and deductions.

The time period over which payroll records must be retained will depend upon government requirements. The Internal Revenue Service typically states a required retention period in each document it issues dealing with payroll issues. In general, wage calculations should be retained for two years, while collective bargaining agreements should be retained for three years.

Related Courses

Payroll Management 

15 of the best Dollar Tree storage and organization ideas

by Mike Timmermann @ clark.com

Mon Mar 26 16:00:19 PDT 2018

You don't have to break your budget to get organized! Here are my favorite storage and organization products from the dollar store.

Evaluation of internal controls

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Wed Mar 28 05:50:00 PDT 2018

An evaluation of internal control involves an examination of the effectiveness of an organization's system of internal controls. By engaging in this evaluation, an auditor can determine the extent of other tests that must be performed in order to arrive at an opinion regarding the fairness of the entity's financial statements. A robust system of internal controls reduces the risk of fraudulent activity, which moderates the need for additional audit procedures. The examination concentrates on such issues as:

• The separation of duties
• Checks and balances
• Safeguarding of records
• The training level and competence of employees
• The effectiveness of the entity's internal audit function

The steps involved in this evaluation process include the following:

1. Determine the extent and types of controls being used by the client.
2. Determine which of these controls the auditor intends to rely upon.
3. Based on the first two steps, determine which audit procedures should be expanded or reduced.
4. Make recommendations to the client regarding how to improve its system of internal controls.

The last of the preceding steps is useful for improving the control environment for the auditor in the following year's audit.

Related Courses

Accounting Controls Guidebook 

How to Turn a Tax Refund Into a Fatter Paycheck

by Tina Orem @ NerdWallet

Fri Mar 23 12:34:45 PDT 2018

Getting a tax refund may seem great, but tax pros say it’s also a sign two things could be happening: You may not be doing enough tax planning, and you…

Summer 2014

by Bart Rydzewski @ Greater Metro Federal Credit Union

Wed Dec 17 11:06:05 PST 2014

Summer 2014 Online Banking Upgrade On The Horizon! Annual Meeting Check Ordering The Magic Minute The VA Branch Schedule Have You Seen Them? Holiday Closings As we head into the summer of 2014, your Credit Union continues to work towards making your “Banking” experience better than a “Bank” experience. Getting directly to a specific Greater... Read more »

How to Plant in Poor Soils

by @ How to of the Day

Wed Mar 21 09:00:00 PDT 2018

Whether you want to grow flowers, trees, or vegetables, plants can add natural beauty to your yard. However, planting and growing plants may not seem so simple if your yard doesn’t have rich soil. Fortunately, there are several things you can do throughout the planting process to ensure that your plants thrive, including amending the soil with compost, planting the root ball properly, and/or choosing to plant specific plants that thrive in your particular soil type.

How to Transfer an Image Onto Glass

by @ How to of the Day

Tue Mar 20 17:00:00 PDT 2018

Putting an image onto a glass object—such as a glass, mason jar, mirror, or window—is a way to personalize and decorate your living space. You can transfer any type of image that has been printed from a laser printer, or that you find in a book or magazine. To transfer an image onto glass, fix adhesive packing tape to the image you’d like to transfer. Soak the image and tape in warm water, then remove the paper and stick the image onto a glass object. Alternately, you can use a gel transfer medium to move the image directly on to a glass surface.

Service Credit Union donates to the N.H. Food Bank

by Lori Holmes @ Service Credit Union

Fri Dec 22 08:49:58 PST 2017

Service Credit Union donated $10,000 and 1,326 pounds of food to the New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charites NH, in order to help the citizens of New Hampshire. Service Credit Union President/CEO David Van Rossum recently presented the check to New Hampshire Food Bank Executive Director Eileen Groll Liponis to help keep […]

Human resource accounting

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Wed Mar 28 16:21:00 PDT 2018

Human resource accounting involves the tracking of all costs related to employees in a separate report. These costs may include the following:

• Employee compensation
• Employee payroll taxes
• Employee benefits
• Employee training

Such an accounting system can be used to determine where human resources costs are especially heavy or light in an organization. This information can be used to redirect employees toward those activities to which they can bring the most value. Conversely, the report can be used to identify those areas in which employee costs are too high, which may lead to a reduction in force or a reallocation of staff away from those areas.

A more comprehensive human resource accounting system goes beyond the simple tracking of employee-related costs, and addresses the following two additional areas:

• Budgeting. An organization's annual budget includes a component, in which is concentrated all employee costs being incurred from across the organization. By concentrating cost information by its nature, management can more clearly see the total impact of human resource costs on the entity.
• Employee valuation. Rather than looking at employees as costs, the system is redirected toward viewing them as assets. This can involve the assignment of values to employees based on their experience, education, innovativeness, leadership, and so forth. This can be a difficult area in which to achieve a verifiable level of quantification, and so may have limited value from a management perspective.

From an accounting perspective, the expense-based view of human resources is quite easy - employee costs from the various departments are simply aggregated into a report. The employee valuation approach is not a tenable concept for the accountant, since this is an internally-generated intangible asset, and so cannot be recorded in the accounting system.

Related Courses

Human Resources Guidebook 
Payroll Management 

SCU to offer assistance for those affected by a government shutdown

by Lori Holmes @ Service Credit Union

Sat Jan 20 05:00:06 PST 2018

Service Credit Union is committed to helping its members who are affected during the government shutdown. For those with direct deposit, Service Credit Union will post credits to members based on the postings nearest to January 1, 2018. The credit of that amount will take place on or before February 1, 2018. This will apply […]

How to Wash High Windows

by @ How to of the Day

Sat Mar 24 01:00:00 PDT 2018

Cleaning high windows can be tricky, especially if they are above a sloped area or in a hard to reach spot. High windows also tend to get very dirty, especially if they have not been wiped or washed in awhile. Though you can hire a professional to wash high windows, doing them yourself can save you money and give you the satisfaction of maintaining them on your own. By using an extendable pole on a day that is not too sunny or hot, you can have clean, streak-free windows in no time.

Financial model

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Wed Mar 28 16:52:00 PDT 2018

A financial model is a mathematical representation of the key variables impacting an organization, which is used to make estimates of how future scenarios will impact the performance and financial position of the business. This model is usually constructed on an electronic spreadsheet, using summary-level revenues and expenses, and employing formulas that change the results of the model when certain variables are altered. For example, variables could be used to model the impact of an increase in energy prices, a decline in product prices, a product recall, a change in the rate of sales growth, or a successful employee strike that results in increased compensation and benefit costs.

A financial model is useful for estimating the effects of a number of scenarios within a short period of time, though its effectiveness depends on how well the model mimics the business. An analyst can use a financial model for a number of purposes, such as:

• Acquisitions. To determine the range of possible outcomes that an acquirer can expect with an acquiree, depending on the actions it takes after the deal has been closed.
• Budgeting. To develop several scenarios as part of the budgeting process, to decide which scenarios to pursue when a detailed budget is constructed.
• Capital budgeting. To determine a range of outcomes that might impact the cash flow return related to a prospective fixed asset purchase.
• Risk analysis. To determine which variables can have the greatest negative effect on a firm, as part of a formal risk analysis.

There are two potential problems with financial models. One is that a model may not properly account for the variables that will impact the model's projected future results. The other problem is that a more complex model is at risk of having calculation errors built into it, which can be difficult to detect.

Related Courses

Budgeting 
Capital Budgeting 

We Don’t Want You to Wait – Ways to Avoid Being On Hold

by Carolyn Pittman @ Service Credit Union

Tue Nov 28 10:55:02 PST 2017

(And Our 10 Favorite Hold On Songs) Sitting and waiting on the phone for support probably tops most people’s lists of things they would rather not do. Thankfully, the Contact Center at Service Credit Union has invested in a wide variety of options that not only in many cases allow you to avoid picking up […]

Big tipper? Find out which states are most and least generous with gratuities

by Craig Johnson @ clark.com

Fri Mar 23 11:01:44 PDT 2018

If you’re like many Americans, you may feel that what you tip at a particular restaurant has everything to do with the service you’re getting – but that may not necessarily be the case. A recent study shows which region …

Cookie jar accounting

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Wed Mar 28 11:09:00 PDT 2018

Cookie jar accounting occurs when a business sets up excessive reserves in profitable periods and draws down these reserves during lower-profit periods. The intent is to give the impression that the organization generates more consistent results than is really the case. When investors believe that a firm is able to consistently meet its earnings targets, they tend to place a higher value on its stock. There is a greater temptation to use cookie jar accounting among publicly held businesses, since doing so can mislead analysts into issuing more favorable reports about them to the investment community. This approach to reporting earnings does not reflect actual results, and so can be considered fraudulent reporting.

Cookie jar reserves can be created either by over-estimating the more common reserves (such as for bad debts) or by taking large one-time charges for expected losses from one-time events, such as acquisitions or downsizings.

The term comes from the practice of using a “cookie jar” of reserves whenever needed.

Related Courses

Fraud Examination 
Fraud Schemes 
How to Audit for Fraud 

Recall alert: Organic coconut flour poses salmonella risk

by Craig Johnson @ clark.com

Mon Mar 26 12:15:22 PDT 2018

The King Arthur Flour Co. is recalling its organic coconut flour due to the potential presence of salmonella, the company has announced. People should check their cupboards for the product and take prompt action, the company said.

“Consumers who have …

Competitive advantage

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Tue Mar 27 14:27:00 PDT 2018

Competitive advantage is the ability of an organization to gain a material edge over its competitors. Having such an advantage can result in above-average profits or high levels of customer loyalty. There are many types of competitive advantage that a business can take advantage of, such as the following:

• Having a supply of unusually inexpensive raw materials
• Having access to a low-cost labor force
• Owning a patent that is key to a product category
• Having a large field servicing operation that can maintain products on short notice
• Having a large chain of retail stores through which goods can be sold
• Having a highly-regarded Internet store that experiences a large number of return visits
• Having a design team that routinely produces leading-edge designs
• Having a short product development cycle that pushes new products into the marketplace faster than what competitors can achieve

An example of how a core competency is used is to leverage a strong field service operation by noting the company's 24-hour response time when pitching a prospective sale to a customer. Another example is being able to offer a commodity product to a customer at an unusually low price, since the seller's workforce is located overseas, where labor costs are reduced by more than half.

Competitive advantage can be taken away by a determined competitor in one of two ways:

• Match and then exceed the advantage offered by the company; or
• Undermine the company's position by developing an entirely new competitive advantage that is highly prized by customers.

It is essential to maintain a competitive advantage, in order to sustain long-term profitability. This means that management must be aware of the advantage and continually reinforce it with ongoing investments in the targeted area.

A competitive advantage can even be achieved by unethical means, such as by offering bribes to the purchasing manager of a customer. Since other sellers are presumably not willing to engage in unethical behavior, the use of bribes can be seen as a competitive advantage.

How Grads Can Get Another Shot at Student Loan Forgiveness

by Anna Helhoski @ NerdWallet

Tue Mar 27 09:20:39 PDT 2018

The Trump administration is giving student loan borrowers who missed out on public service loan forgiveness a second chance, and they should move now to prepare. The recently passed $1.3 trillion federal…

Inventory change

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Tue Mar 27 13:22:00 PDT 2018

Inventory change is the difference between the inventory totals for the last reporting period and the current reporting period. The concept is used in calculating the cost of goods sold, and in the materials management department as the starting point for reviewing how well inventory is being managed. It is also used in budgeting to estimate future cash requirements. If a business only issues financial statements on an annual basis, then the calculation of the inventory change will span a one-year time period. More commonly, the inventory change is calculated over only one month or a quarter, which is indicative of the more normal frequency with which financial statements are issued.

For example, if the ending inventory at the end of February was $400,000 and the ending inventory at the end of March was $500,000, then the inventory change was +$100,000.

The inventory change calculation is applicable to the following areas:

• Accounting. Inventory change is part of the formula used to calculate the cost of goods sold for a reporting period. The full formula is: Beginning inventory + Purchases - Ending inventory = Cost of goods sold. The inventory change figure can be substituted into this formula, so that the replacement formula is: Purchases + Inventory decrease  - Inventory increase = Cost of goods sold. Thus, it can be used to slightly compress the calculation of the cost of goods sold.
• Inventory management. The materials management staff uses the inventory change concept to determine how its purchasing and materials usage policies have altered the company's net investment in inventory. They typically drill down from the inventory change figure and review changes for each type of inventory (e.g., raw materials, work in process, and finished goods), and then drill down further to see where changes arose at the level of each stock keeping unit. The result of this analysis may include changes in ordering policies, the correction of faulty bills of material, and alterations to the production schedule.
• Cash budgeting. The budgeting staff estimates the inventory change in each future period. Doing so impacts the amount of cash needed in each of these periods, since a reduction in inventory generates cash for other purposes, while an increase in inventory will require the use of cash.

The concept is also used in a general sense to keep track of the overall investment in inventory, which management may monitor to see if working capital levels are increasing at too rapid a pace.

Related Courses

Accounting for Inventory 
How to Audit Inventory 

Throughput definition

by Steven Bragg @ Articles - AccountingTools

Tue Mar 27 15:19:00 PDT 2018

Throughput is the number of units that pass through a process during a period of time. This general definition can be refined into the following two variations, which are:

• Operational perspective. Throughput is the number of units that can be produced by a production process within a certain period of time. For example, if 800 units can be produced during an eight-hour shift, then the production process generates throughput of 100 units per hour.
• Financial perspective. Throughput is the revenues generated by a production process, minus all completely variable expenses incurred by that process. In most cases, the only completely variable expenses are direct materials and sales commissions. Given the small number of expenses, throughput tends to be quite high, except for those situations in which prices are set only slightly higher than variable expenses.

For operations, throughput can be increased by enhancing the productivity of the bottleneck operation that is constraining production. For example, an additional machine can be purchased, or overtime can be authorized in order to run a machine for an extra shift. The key point is to focus attention on the productivity of the bottleneck operation. If other operations are improved, the overall throughput of the system will not increase, since the bottleneck operation has not been enhanced. This means that the key focus of investment in the production area should be on the bottleneck, not other operations.

For financial analysis, throughput can be increased by altering the mix of products being produced, to increase the priority on those products that have the highest throughput per minute of time required at the constrained resource. If a product has a smaller amount of throughput per minute, it can instead be routed to a third party for processing, rather than interfering with the bottleneck operation. As long as some positive throughput is gained by outsourcing, the result is an increased overall level of the throughput for the company as a whole.

Related Courses

Constraint Management 

Fall 2014

by Kurt Hansen @ Greater Metro Federal Credit Union

Wed Dec 10 11:17:42 PST 2014

Home Depot, Target, Heartland, BJ’s Regulation D Credit Card Safety Tips College Scholarship Applications Liberty Mutual Have You Seen Them? Home Depot, Target, Heartland, BJ’s The above names used to be found on a list of stores to visit over the weekend. Now we wait for alerts to identify accounts compromised by shopping at these... Read more »

How to Shop for Used Clothes — and Why You Should

by Laura McMullen @ NerdWallet

Thu Mar 22 20:00:39 PDT 2018

Buying used clothes at thrift stores may seem like a smart way to slash your spending — and it is. You ought to get gold stars and stickers for spending…

Winter 2015

by Bart Rydzewski @ Greater Metro Federal Credit Union

Fri Feb 20 07:15:29 PST 2015

New Greater Metro Plastics Board of Directors Elections EMV Chip Technology Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) Mobile APP The Annual Meeting CUC Mortgage A Redesigned Website Welcome New Members! Tax Refunds New Greater Metro Plastics – Coming Soon! Newly designed cards that were originally scheduled for delivery in the 4th Quarter of 2014 were delayed in... Read more »

How to Lose Fat With Weights

by @ How to of the Day

Sat Mar 24 09:00:00 PDT 2018

If you want to get rid of stubborn body fat, adding strength training to your exercise regimen can help. To start losing fat, create a consistent weekly routine to build muscle and burn calories. One effective way to lose fat is doing compound exercises, which will work out multiple muscle groups at once. Keep in mind that to lose fat, you must ultimately burn more calories than you eat. Thus, you should also incorporate other healthy weight loss practices into your life.

Two legitimate ways to get free Disney World tickets

by Theo Thimou @ clark.com

Mon Mar 26 10:42:33 PDT 2018

Who says there's no free lunch? Turns out there might actually be a way to score free tickets to Walt Disney World and Disneyland — in some circumstances.

How to Stop Fighting With Your Brother or Sister

by @ How to of the Day

Fri Mar 23 17:00:00 PDT 2018

Fights between siblings are inevitable, even if they can be frustrating. If you and your sibling want to stop fighting, there are a few strategies you can try before, during, and after a fight. You may be family, but with a little effort, you can get along like friends!

Follow this simple chart to become a millionaire

by Mike Timmermann @ clark.com

Mon Mar 26 13:00:00 PDT 2018

If becoming a millionaire is something that's been on your mind, this helpful chart reveals what it will take to get there!

Buying prescription glasses online

by Clark Howard Staff @ clark.com

Sun Mar 25 21:00:00 PDT 2018

Did you know you can get prescription glasses for $15? Well, you can and Clark has all the info just for you!

Check out our It’s Me 247 Bill Pay Service!

by Bart Rydzewski @ Greater Metro Federal Credit Union

Thu Mar 24 11:05:52 PDT 2016

Check out our It’s Me 247 Bill Pay Service! Did you know you can pay your bills through It’s Me 247 Online Banking? If you are not using it yet, you are just few steps away from getting started with our Bill Pay! On our It’s Me 247 Bill Pay you can:  – Pay bills online 24/7 from... Read more »

How to Get a Job As a Mortuary Makeup Artist

by @ How to of the Day

Sun Mar 25 01:00:00 PDT 2018

Mortuary makeup artists apply makeup to the deceased for public viewings. This line of work is also known as “desairology.” To begin a career in mortuary makeup, you’ll need to attend Mortuary Science School or Cosmetology school. Since you must either be a licensed mortician or cosmetologist to work with dead bodies, you’ll then need to apply for and pass your state’s licensing exam. Start finding jobs by offering your services at local funeral homes and salons. At the end of the day, this job can be unusual and difficult, but it can also incredibly rewarding to bring some peace to a grieving family.

How not to get kicked out of your Airbnb rental

by Craig Johnson @ clark.com

Fri Mar 23 13:54:41 PDT 2018

While travel season used to be a boon for hotels, it has now turned into a blessing for many homeowners, too, thanks to Airbnb.

The homesharing service is disrupting the hotel industry by providing affordable lodging from people who are …

End of Year Checklist for Your Small Business

by April Marasco @ Howard Bank

Mon Nov 20 14:50:54 PST 2017

The end of the year is a good time to take stock of your business – review your accomplishments from this year and plan for next year. In this infographic, we’ll give you some ideas on getting started and what you might want to include in your checklist. Take a look, and build on this …
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Service Credit Union named top CU Direct auto lender

by Lori Holmes @ Service Credit Union

Fri Feb 23 08:19:49 PST 2018

Service Credit Union (SCU) was named the top auto lender in the New England/New York region and 10th nationally for 2017 by CU Direct. CU Direct works with auto dealers and credit unions throughout the U.S. to streamline the auto buying process. Last year, the credit union funded more than 21,000 auto loans at approximately […]