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Michael Davis

Michael Davis
In General Articles

The Internship Experience at Brickley DeLong

Author: Calvin VanderWal, Intern

As a student, I was told to participate in as many internships as possible. They provide real-world experience, give you a feel for the profession, and are a great resume builder. After going through the fall recruiting season my junior year of college, I landed a summer internship with Brickley DeLong.

I had the opportunity to do some audit work in the field on my first day of the internship, and I was slightly overwhelmed. However, the staff I was working with eased me into the job and made me feel very welcome. After a couple days in the field, I had my first day in the office. This day was filled with partners and staff coming over to my desk to introduce themselves and welcome me to the Firm. I immediately felt like a member of the Brickley DeLong team.

At the beginning of my internship, I was concerned with the lack of technical knowledge I might have. To my relief, every staff member was available and more than willing to answer any questions I might have. I was also surprised that some of the entry level staff was as new to some areas as I was. This made it easier to collaborate and ask questions. The professional staff I worked with honestly wanted me to understand what I was doing and why it needed to be done a certain way. They expected my work to be of the utmost quality, but gave me the information and resources to do so.

Throughout the summer, I spent time in both the office and the field. In the field, I was interacting directly with clients and working with them to complete various auditing tasks. This direct client interaction gave me insight to knowledge I otherwise would not have gained, and showed me that Brickley DeLong trusted me to represent the Firm in a dignified and professional manner to their clients.

The people at Brickley DeLong made my internship a great experience, and I would recommend this internship to anyone.

For more information on recruiting and hiring at Brickley DeLong PC, please visit our career pages or contact Christine Dill, cdill@brickleydelong.com or (231) 726-5835.

 

Michael Davis
In General Articles

How S Corporations Can Avoid Unreasonable Compensation Audits

A recent article by Stephen D. Kirkland published in the Journal of Accountancy, discusses the red flags the IRS looks for when identifying compensation audits for S Corporations (S-Corps). The biggest red flag the IRS identifies is insufficient compensation paid to shareholders. While many S-Corps reduce compensation and increase distributions for tax reasons, this is one of the most prevalent reasons for an IRS examination. The tax rules that apply to compensation of shareholders and officers for S-Corps is not simple, but these nine items can go a long way toward helping S-Corps file returns that achieve the best results:

  1. Identify the officers
  2. Find the correct business activity code
  3. Confirm percentage of time devoted to business
  4. Be consistent
  5. Encourage each shareholder who works for the company to take reasonable compensation
  6. Encourage shareholders to maintain written logs
  7. Explain the rules to clients
  8. Provide comparability data
  9. Encourage shareholders to minimize loans from the company

For more information on S-Corps and compensation audits, please visit the referenced article by Stephen D. Kirkland in the Journal of Accountancy, or contact Terry Maycroft at tmaycroft@brickleydelong.com or (231) 726-5825.

Accounting Services

Michael Davis
In General Articles

Interview at Brickley DeLong

Author: Calvin VanderWal, Intern

Ever since high school, I knew I wanted to work in a field related to business. Everything about the business world intrigued me, and I could not wait to learn more about it during my college years at Central Michigan University. Knowing I was skilled with the understanding of numbers, I declared Finance as my major during my freshman year of college. After two years of business classes and discussions with my peers, I switched my major to Accounting. Following many peoples’ recommendations, I became involved with an accounting organization on campus, and it only increased my interest in the accounting profession.

Involvement in the accounting organization sparked my interest in the public accounting world, as there seemed to be a plethora of opportunities through public accounting firms. I was first exposed to Brickley DeLong through a friend from high school, whose parent was a partner at the firm. Having no recruiting presence at Central Michigan, I had never heard of Brickley DeLong before. I decided to give them a shot, and I eventually landed an interview with them for a summer internship.

My interview at the Muskegon office was a few hours long, and I met with various partners and staff. I learned about the history of the Firm, what the future holds, and what kind of work I would be participating in, among many other topics. Every partner I interviewed with was welcoming and friendly, and the discussions seemed more like conversations than question and answer, which made the interview go quickly. I could tell during the interview that this firm could be a good fit for me. My interview ended with the Firm Administrator giving a tour and answering any other questions I had.

An hour or two after the interview, I received a call from the Firm Administrator extending me an official internship offer. I was ecstatic and went on to accept the offer.

For more information on recruiting and hiring at Brickley DeLong PC, please visit our career pages or contact Christine Dill, cdill@brickleydelong.com or (231) 726-5835.

Michael Davis
In General Articles

The Importance Getting Employees Excited About Work

In a recent article from the Harvard Business Review, the authors, Kelly and Ben Decker, discuss the importance of getting employees excited about their work, and how to motivate them.

Studies show that 67% of employees are not engaged at work.

Kelly and Ben Decker discuss the importance of “aspire to inspire” employees. Through this, they developed a Communicator’s Roadmap, which measures emotion and content in messages.

To help retain top talent, it is important to shift conversations to “audience-centered content” through “emotional content”. These messages aim to inspire employees and give them a purpose and a personal level of accountability.

This graph is important to all career fields. At Brickley DeLong, we believe in the importance of employee engagement and strive to communicate effectively with our diverse group of employees. When you empower your coworkers, you give them a greater sense of being and they become better, happier employees. By inserting emotional content, you become more real with coworkers, and therefore, more relatable.

We would love to hear your input on this subject. Please comment below with and thoughts.

To read the full article, click here.

 

Brickley DeLong is a West Michigan Accounting Firm, offering personalized accounting services with offices in Muskegon, Hart, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Michael Davis
In General Articles

What are the Tax Implications of Hiring a Nanny?

Becoming a new parent is an exciting time; however, the decision on whether or not a parent will stay home with the child, or pay for someone else to take care of him or her, can be difficult. One option that is appealing to many families is hiring a nanny. An in-home nanny can provide convenience and personalized care for parents and their child or children. When choosing this decision, it is important to look at the tax implications on hiring a nanny.

Susan Allen, in an article from the AICPA, discusses a few points that are important if a family choose to hire a nanny.

  1. Nannies are household employees
  2. Employers must pay employment taxes and manage other payroll responsibilities
  3. Employers need to consider benefits

While these points may make is seem more complicated if one so chooses an in-home nanny, rather than a daycare facility, Allen also offers points on how to allow the in-home nanny transition go smoothly.

  1. Find the perfect nanny
  2. Use an inexpensive payroll service to manage the administrative burdens
  3. Take advantage of the depedent care flexible spending account
  4. Let your nanny help with other household chores

 

To read the full referenced article, click here. For assistance in understanding your obligations in hiring a nanny, please contact Terry Maycroft at (231) 726-5825 or tmaycroft@brickleydelong

 

Brickley DeLong is a West Michigan Accounting Firm, offering personalized accounting services with offices in Muskegon, Hart, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Michael Davis
In General Articles

An Accounting Internship Experience at Brickley DeLong

As a prospective accounting graduate, it is highly encouraged for students to obtain an accounting internship while working towards the completion of their degree. I was most fortunate to land a tax season internship in the Grand Rapids office at Brickley DeLong PC.

From my first impression of Brickley DeLong, it was clear that the employees were welcoming and friendly. I had the opportunity to tour the office, before actually starting my internship. This eased me into the position, and gave me an idea as to what my office space was going to be like, as well an initial meeting with some of my coworkers. It was not long before I felt like I was one of the staff.

When I began my orientation, the firm was clear and concise about my responsibilities. As a student, I had been taught much to prepare me for the profession; however, actually seeing and applying what I learned was a process. Throughout my internship, I had to lean on the support of staff and their experience with situations I had not seen before. The firm’s open door policy was extremely beneficial for me as an intern; partners and staff were always willing to answer my questions – despite it being busy season. My supervisors made a special effort to not just answer my questions- but to make sure I understood why the answer was correct. They were not afraid to challenge me in my work and gave me more complex returns when I felt ready.

I am happy to say that my internship at Brickey DeLong went better than I ever could have expected. This can be attributed to the firms’ knowledgeable and supportive professional staff.

For more information on recruiting and hiring at Brickley DeLong PC, please visit our career pages or contact Christine Dill, cdill@brickleydelong.com or (231) 726-5835.

 

Michael Davis
In General Articles

Interviewing for a Staff Accountant Position at Brickley Delong

My name is Bryan Jacques and I am a staff accountant at Brickley DeLong. I began full time in January 2015, and was first exposed to the firm at the Grand Valley’s Pre-recruiting Night.

At the recruiting event, I talked with one of the firm’s representatives. Our conversation went well; but due to the amount of candidates and time constraints, it was short and generic, so I was unsure whether or not to anticipate an interview. After the recruiting event, I eagerly awaited to see which firms selected me for an on-campus interview, and fortunately Brickley DeLong was one of them.

My on-campus interview was with Brenda Jacobs, a partner at the firm. Prior to beginning my career in accounting, I graduated from college with a degree in sociology; after various misguided attempts at exploring new career pathways, I ended up doing social work for a brief period. Realizing this was not the career I was hoping for, I went back to school for accounting. As I began searching for a job in my new field, I was worried that my career indecisiveness would reflect poorly on myself as a candidate.  With Brickley DeLong, this was not the case. Brenda scanned my resume as I sat in front of her, and noted that every resume told a story. She assured me that trying to restart a career was not a drawback, and was not going to be held against me. I remember feeling like the firm was more interested in where I currently was, rather than my past.

After the on-campus interview, I was invited to interview at the firm’s Muskegon office. I was very excited, but also a little apprehensive, as the interview was scheduled for a total of four hours, and I was a full-time employee elsewhere. The firm’s administrator explained that during the interview, I would be meeting with many different members of the firm and even be served lunch as the interview would be in the middle of the day.

My interview began with two seasoned partners who relayed the history of the firm, and explained the direction the firm was heading. Afterwards, I met with partners representing both the tax and audit side of the firm. They explained what it was like to work in both of the respective fields. Next, I ate lunch with one of the firm’s newest members who explained what it was like being a new member of the firm. Finally, I interviewed with the firm administrator, who covered firm policies, and other administrative matters. At the conclusion of the interview, I was somewhat surprised when she handed me a check and thanked me for taking 4 hours out of my day to interview with Brickley DeLong.

During the entire interview process at Brickley DeLong, it was clear that the members of the firm respected their employees, and were seeking a mutually beneficial relationship. I did not feel like they were just looking for someone who would add the most value to the firm, but for someone who would fit into the firm culture and enjoy their work. When I got the phone call offering me the full time position, my decision was conclusive.

For more information on recruiting and hiring at Brickley DeLong PC, please visit our career pages or contact Christine Dill, cdill@brickleydelong.com or (231) 726-5835.

Michael Davis
In General Articles

What are the Major Changes to the Michigan Nonprofit Corporation Act?

In January 2015, some significant revisions to the Michigan Nonprofit Corporation Act were enacted. The more significant provisions related to:

  1. Additional limitations on director and officer;
  2. Dissolving a nonprofit corporation;
  3. Voting to approve membership or stock corporation mergers and dissolutions; and
  4. Potentially more limited access to information for shareholders and members.

For more information, please visit the referenced article from Miller Johnson, or contact Ed Elsner for questions associated with nonprofit organizations.

Michael Davis
In General Articles

What are the Roles in Preventing Financial Reporting Fraud?

In November 2014, the Anti-Fraud Collaboration released a report defining the roles of those in the financial reporting chain in order to deter and detect financial reporting fraud.

Roles are defined for the following holders of the financial supply chain:

  1. Management
  2. Board of Directors
  3. Audit Committees
  4. Internal Auditors
  5. External Auditors

For more information, please read the referenced article from the Journal of Accountancy, or contact Ed Elsner at (231) 726-5848 or eelsner@brickleydelong.com.

Michael Davis
In General Articles

Next Generation Conference – April 29 and 30

Brickley DeLong is excited to announce that this coming April, we will be partnering with one of our CPAmerica International firms, Mueller CPAs, in hosting a Next Generation Conference for members of our two firms. Mueller is located in Chicago, IL. The day and a half event will take place in Muskegon, MI, with a full-day discussion on topics such as: personality profiles, embracing generational differences, networking, business development, and goal setting. In addition, the seminar will include a panel of partners from the two firms.

This event inspiration stemmed from a recent CPAmerica Emerging Leaders Conference attended by staff members from over 25 firms, including Brickley DeLong and Mueller. The goal of the seminar is to not only discuss generational differences, but to discover the similarities between age groups, and find optimal communication techniques to benefit all.

“Today, there is a unique occurrence with five different generations in the workforce”, stated Timothy Arter, Brickley DeLong’s Managing Partner.   “It is our hopes that this seminar will encourage discussion among next generation leaders critical to the two firms, and that the partnership with Mueller may bring about new ideas and accountability among the future leaders of the two firms.”

Kerry Halloran, from Brickley DeLong PC and Chris Gent, from Mueller CPAs are co-chairs of the planning committee.

“One of the unique things about this Next Generation Conference is that it’s being planned by a committee of the next generation of leaders from each of our firms; so, we are choosing the topics that we feel are most important to us at this stage of our professional careers.  We are excited that our two firms are able to work together to plan this conference and begin to develop relationships that will continue with us as our careers progress.”

The conference will take place April 29-30, 2015. The first day will consist of dinner and networking amongst firm members, and the second day will be a seminar at the Grand Valley’s Michigan Renewable Energy Center.

To learn more about Brickley DeLong PC and our Next Gen initiatives, please contact us at (231) 726-5800 or comment below.