R&A CPAs blog

August 2026 Newsletter

Meet Jorge Fuentes Quihui, Associate – Assurance

Meet Jorge Fuentes Quihui, Associate – Assurance

The IRS’ ‘Dirty Dozen’

The IRS’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list exposes the top 12 tax scams, fraud schemes, and aggressive avoidance tactics threatening taxpayers. Ranging from phishing scams and identity theft to abusive tax shelters and misleading social media advice, the list alerts both individuals and businesses to emerging threats, helping them safeguard their financial assets and maintain tax compliance.

IRS Announces New Automatic Exemption from Penalty Program

The IRS’s Automatic Exemption from Penalty (AEP) program simplifies tax relief by automatically waiving failure-to-file, failure-to-pay, and failure-to-deposit penalties for compliant taxpayers. Replacing the manual First Time Abate process, the automated system evaluates eligibility during return processing—waiving penalties for individuals and businesses with three years of clean compliance history—without requiring formal requests or phone calls.

Estate Planning is Changing: What Families Should Revisit Now

Shifting tax exemption thresholds, evolving retirement account rules, and changing family dynamics make static estate plans a risk. Families should revisit their plans now to update beneficiary designations, review trusts, refresh health care and financial powers of attorney, and adjust wealth transfer strategies to ensure their assets remain protected and align with their current intentions.

What to Consider When Selling Your Business to Employees

Selling your business to employees through an ESOP, cooperative, or management buyout preserves your company’s legacy and rewards your team, but it requires careful planning. Success hinges on choosing the right ownership structure, securing realistic financing (often involving seller notes), obtaining an independent valuation, and preparing strong leaders to handle daily operations after the transition.

The State of Construction Bonding in 2026: What Contractors Need to Know About Financial Reporting

Navigating the 2026 bonding landscape requires contractors to treat financial reporting as a strategic tool rather than a routine compliance exercise. With surety carriers tightening underwriting standards following elevated project complexities, labor costs, and recent severe claims, securing maximum bonding capacity hinges on transparency and financial discipline.

July 2026 Newsletter

Caught In Prescott – Lessons in Fraud Prevention and Monitoring

Fraud in Prescott – lessons in fraud prevention and monitoring for your business.

IRS Makes Rare Midyear Change to Mileage Rates

A break for many who have been hit by high gas prices: The IRS has quietly announced a revision to the optional standard mileage rates for computing the allowable deductible costs of operating an automobile. Click through to see what has changed—and what hasn’t.

IRS Announces New Automatic Exemption from Penalty Program

August 26, 2026

The IRS’s Automatic Exemption from Penalty (AEP) program simplifies tax relief by automatically waiving failure-to-file, failure-to-pay, and failure-to-deposit penalties for compliant taxpayers. Replacing the manual First Time Abate process, the automated system evaluates eligibility during return processing—waiving penalties for individuals and businesses with three years of clean compliance history—without requiring formal requests or phone calls.

Estate Planning is Changing: What Families Should Revisit Now

August 26, 2026

Shifting tax exemption thresholds, evolving retirement account rules, and changing family dynamics make static estate plans a risk. Families should revisit their plans now to update beneficiary designations, review trusts, refresh health care and financial powers of attorney, and adjust wealth transfer strategies to ensure their assets remain protected and align with their current intentions.

What to Consider When Selling Your Business to Employees

August 26, 2026

Selling your business to employees through an ESOP, cooperative, or management buyout preserves your company’s legacy and rewards your team, but it requires careful planning. Success hinges on choosing the right ownership structure, securing realistic financing (often involving seller notes), obtaining an independent valuation, and preparing strong leaders to handle daily operations after the transition.

The State of Construction Bonding in 2026: What Contractors Need to Know About Financial Reporting

August 26, 2026

Navigating the 2026 bonding landscape requires contractors to treat financial reporting as a strategic tool rather than a routine compliance exercise. With surety carriers tightening underwriting standards following elevated project complexities, labor costs, and recent severe claims, securing maximum bonding capacity hinges on transparency and financial discipline.

July 2026 Newsletter

July 30, 2026

Caught In Prescott – Lessons in Fraud Prevention and Monitoring

July 30, 2026

Fraud in Prescott – lessons in fraud prevention and monitoring for your business.

IRS Makes Rare Midyear Change to Mileage Rates

July 30, 2026

A break for many who have been hit by high gas prices: The IRS has quietly announced a revision to the optional standard mileage rates for computing the allowable deductible costs of operating an automobile. Click through to see what has changed—and what hasn’t.

The Purpose of Form I-9: What Employers Need to Know

July 30, 2026

Every employer needs to complete Form I-9 for their employees. It is an important compliance document. Here is what you need to know.

Meet Junna Stockwell, CPA, Supervisor – Assurance

July 30, 2026

Junna is a supervisor in our Assurance department. In her role, she solves financial problems and helps provide accurate financial reporting for our clients.