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The AB&P journal

Useful answers for the decisions owners make every week.

Clear guidance on the financial, payroll, and people questions that tend to become urgent when no one explains them early.

Candy Messer explains how business owners can legally hire their children while navigating payroll taxes, documentation, reasonable compensation, and potential financial benefits.

4 min read ·

Hiring Your Child: A Business Owner’s Guide to Tax Savings and Payroll Rules

https://youtu.be/Aw5VzoEq1vg Hiring your child in your business can offer potential tax advantages while giving them valuable work experience. However, this strategy requires more than simply adding your child to payr…

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Candy Messer talks with Mark Miller about how business ownership, cash flow, tax planning, and long-term investing can help business owners turn business success into lasting wealth.

4 min read ·

Build Wealth Beyond Your Business: Turning Business Success Into Lasting Wealth

https://youtu.be/fUrCN86ogyI Build wealth beyond your business by looking at your company as more than a source of income. In this episode of Biz Help For You, host Candy Messer talks with Mark Miller about the connec…

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Murray J. Lee joins Candy Messer to discuss financial stewardship, intentional spending, debt reduction, and why true wealth is about creating freedom, contentment, and financial peace rather than simply earning more money.

3 min read ·

Financial Peace: How to Build True Wealth

https://youtu.be/IcFHN8Wlj8M Financial peace is about more than making money. It is about how intentionally you manage your resources, how you prioritize your spending, and whether your financial decisions support the…

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John Briggs joins Candy Messer to explain why intentional breaks can improve productivity, reduce mental fatigue, and help entrepreneurs accomplish more without working longer hours.

4 min read ·

Productivity: Why Taking Breaks Can Make You More Productive

https://youtu.be/EQYJiKJIzO4 Productivity does not always come from working longer hours. In fact, taking breaks may be one of the most effective ways to improve productivity, especially for entrepreneurs who are used…

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Business owner reviewing nonprofit tax compliance documents and reporting requirements

Taxes · 3 min read ·

New Tax Exempt Organization Reporting Rules Could Impact Nonprofits and Donors

When you support a nonprofit organization, donate to a charitable cause, or serve on a nonprofit board, tax compliance may not always be top of mind. However, changes being considered in Washington could create additi…

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Business owner reviewing IRS correspondence while learning about the growing backlog in the IRS Independent Office of Appeals.

IRS · 3 min read ·

Growing IRS Appeals Backlog Could Delay Resolution for Business Owners

If you're ever involved in an IRS audit or tax dispute, you expect the appeals process to provide a fair and timely review. Unfortunately, growing staffing shortages and an increasing backlog within the IRS Independen…

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Family preparing for back-to-school season while protecting personal information and preventing scams

4 min read ·

Back to School Scams: How Families Can Protect Their Personal Information and Finances

As families prepare for another school year, the excitement of new supplies, activities, and opportunities can sometimes create the perfect environment for scammers to take advantage of them. Criminals know parents, s…

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3 Ways to Use Tax REfund: build savings, reduce debt, and invest for the future.

Taxes · 4 min read ·

3 Smart Ways to Use Your Tax Refund to Strengthen Your Financial Future

Tax season may be behind us, and if you receive a tax refund this year, you might already be thinking about how to spend it. While it's tempting to use those extra dollars for something fun, your tax refund also prese…

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Business owner reviewing an IRS Employee Retention Credit disallowance letter with a calendar showing an upcoming filing deadline.

Payroll · 3 min read ·

ERC Disallowance Letter? Don't Miss This IRS Deadline

Did you receive an Employee Retention Credit (ERC) disallowance letter and you're still waiting for the IRS to respond to your appeal? If so, there's an important new IRS process that could give you more time to prote…

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When an Employee Vents: Should You Take Action as a Leader?

Business · 3 min read ·

When an Employee Vents: Should You Take Action as a Leader?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes Table of contents Why Employees Vent in the First Place How to Respond in the Moment When Listening Isn’t Enough Balancing Empathy with Accountability 1. Listen Like a Coach, Act Like…

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Business · 5 min read ·

Travel Pay: What Every Employer Needs to Know to Stay Compliant

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Table of contents What Counts as Travel Time? Why a Travel Pay Policy Is Essential The Added Complexity of Overnight Travel Training, Conferences, and Professional Development Exempt…

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