Webinars helping businesses, governments, and not-for-profits achieve their goals and tackle timely issues.

This past year was filled with ongoing challenges and uncertainty. How do these challenges impact you and your business? Join us as we discuss developments in tax legislation, key tax strategies, and tax savings opportunities that business owners and high-net-worth taxpayers should be aware of as 2021 comes to a close and we enter 2022. Learn more about this webinar.

If you own or lead a business, there are many reasons you may need to know how much it’s worth. A potential sale is only one; others could include long-term financial and strategic planning or gifting. Learning your business’ value may seem intimidating or difficult, but it doesn’t need to be. In this webinar, we will address some commonly asked questions regarding business valuation and give you tools to evaluate and understand the finished product.

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on businesses. But rather than sit on the sidelines and watch, now may be the right time to get in the game to sell or transition a business. We will cover the impact of COVID-19 on the valuation process. Whether such values are depressed or inflated, there may be estate planning or transaction opportunities to take advantage of now before values rebound or changes occur with the approaching election cycle.

As a small- or medium-sized business owner, you may know your customers, your operations and your market inside out. But where many business owners struggle is how to monitor and evaluate their business’ finances. That’s the goal of the financial statement – a “report card” for your business’ financial health. This webinar will cover how to read and interpret the basic financial statements, including a balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. In addition, we’ll examine how you can create key performance indicators (KPIs) to simplify your analysis.

The FASB’s new leasing standard, ASU 842, will be effective for non-public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. This standard provides a new framework for how leases are measured and reported in the financial statements. This webinar will help prepare participants to determine the value of lease liabilities and right-to-use assets, and meet the financial reporting requirements of the new standard.

Understanding the fair market value of your bank is critical for potential changes in ownership. Learn how a bank’s fair market value is determined and what some of the key value drivers are that you may be overlooking. Holly Rook will also provide tips on how to be proactive during the purchase price allocation process for your management team’s success and peace of mind.

The Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued eight standards that will be effective for entities between December 31, 2019 and December 30, 2021. They are also working on two significant projects related to Financial Reporting and Disclosures. We will review the critical components and discuss how you can prepare now.

This webinar will cover the challenges facing municipalities and not-for-profit entities in properly managing the CARES Act funding to ensure entities are prepared for their financial statement audit and single audit. Participants will learn best practices, common pitfalls, and a road map to current authoritative guidance based on lessons learned.

More than ever before, there is a spotlight on pension reporting for state and local governments, and GASB 68 will make pension issues more transparent. As the implementation date is fast approaching, this webinar will provide an overview of several of the key changes. The primary objective of GASB 68 is to improve accounting and financial reporting by state and local governments for pensions. It also improves information provided by state and local governmental employers about financial support for pensions that is provided by other entities. GASB 68 replaces the requirements of Statement No. 27, Accounting for Pensions by State and Local Governmental Employers, as well as the requirements of Statement No. 50, Pension Disclosures.

On February 27, 2015, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No. 72, Fair Value Measurement and Application. The Statement provides guidance on the accounting and financial reporting for assets and liabilities measured at fair value for state and local governments. GASB’s goal is to enhance the comparability of governmental financial statements by requiring fair value be measured using a consistent definition and accepted valuation techniques. This standard also expands fair value disclosures to provide information for users of financial statements about the impact of fair value measurements on a government’s financial position.

In June 2015, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No. 75, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Postemployment Benefits Other than Pensions. The statement replaces the requirements of GASB Statement No. 45 and provides guidance on the accounting and financial reporting for OPEB that is provided to the employees of state and local governmental employers. GASB’s goal is to improve accounting and financial reporting for OPEB plans in order to provide decision-useful information, support assessments of accountability and interperiod equity, and create additional transparency. This standard also expands OPEB disclosures and required supplementary information to provide users with better information about the reasonableness of the OPEB measurements and improve transparency about the changes in OPEB liabilities.

Doing more with less only stretches so far. Many government financial leaders are finding themselves forced to shift their focus to handling only those most strategic and mission-critical responsibilities. With less time to direct daily financial operations and accounting processes, how can you balance technical accuracy with making progress on your strategic priorities? The key is identifying and managing key partners who can carve out and handle defined areas of responsibility, freeing you up for the highest and best use of your expertise and knowledge.

Traditional budgeting processes can include line-item budgeting, program budgeting, and even building a budget from the ground up. Many communities across the U.S. will take last year’s budget, roll the numbers forward, and call it good. Budgeting for outcomes turns that process on its head ... starting with the end in mind. This session will introduce the audience to the concept of outcomes and how certain program budgeting decisions can be made based on what the community desires.

Two common policies vital in the management of public sector funds are cash management or investment policies as well as debt management policies. The governing body typically takes on the role of establishing policies. Once adopted, these policies establish the framework upon which decisions are made. Two of these policies are critical in managing resources, both cash on hand and borrowed, which are used in funding activities. This session will introduce the attendee to the benefits and basics of both policies. Their creation is largely an interactive process between staff, elected officials, and sometimes experts in the field.

To build and maintain the infrastructure that state and local governments are responsible for, financial leaders must often borrow funds. This webinar provides an overview of the different types of debt and how they are repaid, a summary of the GFOA’s key recommended best practices for debt management, and an outline of a finance officer/CFO’s responsibilities throughout the borrowing process. We’ll also offer guidance on the types of policies most appropriate for governments to put in place for debt management.

Many CFOs and finance directors are so busy with daily firefighting that they lack time for the long view of financial management. Yet, actions today have direct, major consequences for your governmental entity 10 and even 20 years from now. We’ll provide an overview of why long-term financial planning is important and what its components are as well as what benefits it can deliver.

Long-term financial planning is a best practice, says the Government Financial Officers Association. But how do you get started? Part 2 of our Long-Term Financial Planning series reviews the elements of a long-term financial plan and how it creates a roadmap for the entity’s financial environment. We’ll cover aspects of an environmental scan, revenue and expenditure forecasting, budget monitoring and reporting, and key financial ratios.

Not-for-profits are facing a myriad of challenges this year. As year-end approaches, we want to help ease your stress by providing some tips on avoiding common financial and tax compliance issues. We will provide some financial accounting tips, review important internal controls to have in place, highlight common tax compliance issues, and provide tips on preventing mistakes and protecting your exempt status.

With the issuance of the new Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (the “Supercircular”), changes are coming for entities that receive and administer federal awards, and for their audits. With the implementation date coming up (December 2014), do you know if your organization and grants program managers are ready? What are the key areas of change, and what should you be considering over the next 6 months?

The new Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (the “Supercircular”) provides increased focus on reducing fraud, waste and abuse in the use of federal grant funds. A key component includes determining costs that are allowable. With the implementation date of the new guidance fast approaching (December 2014), do you know what has changed so you’ll be ready?

One of the OMB’s goals in issuing the new Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (the “Supercircular”) was to reduce the administrative burden associated with federal grants. Did they actually achieve that goal? Changes intended to “streamline” the guidance could actually lead to more requirements for some entities. Are you ready?

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Grant Guidance), became effective in December 2014. The Guidance changed how entities administer federal awards, increasing the focus on reducing fraud, waste and abuse.

The Kansas Municipal Audit and Accounting Guide (KMAAG) provides guidance for all municipalities in Kansas. This webinar will discuss the 2021 KMAAG and provide action steps to help you prepare for your audit, prior to the auditors arriving.

Employers are struggling more now to find top talent than at any time since 2007. Just as job candidates must create a strong resume, employers must put together a powerful combination of incentives (and not just pay) to compete in the labor market. In this webinar, learn the factors that go into becoming a sought-after destination employer, evaluate how your own organization stacks up, and what you can do to increase your odds in the competition for talent.

As organizations begin to grow again, it is essential to recruit and retain the best talent – and a key component of that is appropriate compensation. When pay is viewed as fair for the work performed, employees are more likely to be engaged and satisfied with their work. Pay has to be “right” before other aspects of employment aspects even matter. In this webinar, we’ll discuss the importance of designing a compensation strategy and structure, the basic process for conducting a compensation review, and how you can establish a base pay structure for your organization.

To attract and retain talented individuals, many employers offer fringe benefits and other perks, but they may not realize those additional perks may be taxable to their employees. AGH’s Cindy McSwain and Pamela Nelson will explain how you can determine what fringe benefits your organization currently offers and whether you should be reporting and withholding taxes for them.

Are you finding it difficult to attract and retain the right employees to run your organization effectively? You’re not alone. Join AGH Employer Solutions’ Carrie Cox as she discusses why the current employment environment is making it difficult to find and keep good talent, and what you can do to improve your recruitment and retention.

Ever-changing legislation and regulations continue to complicate payroll compliance. Join AGH’s Cindy McSwain and Pamela Nelson to drill down into the specifics of what you must identify, calculate, analyze and report by January 2021 to avoid the potential of fines and penalties for non-compliance.

When the job market is hot and the battle for talented employees is fierce, you must compensate competitively – not only in the currency of pay, but also in other ways most relevant to employees, such as benefits, workplace flexibility, and connection to work. Different employee types seek different rewards and benefits beyond pay; leverage these differences to improve recruitment and retention.

With a down economy, avoiding unnecessary costs is important. Turnover is one manageable cost. Employers must identify who is at risk for departure and create an environment they don’t want to leave. This session defines strategies to identify employees at risk of flight and what you can do to keep them.

Employment law compliance typically rises to the top of the list when most employers consider their biggest employee-related challenges. But others, such as employee recruitment and retention, may have an even greater impact on the organization. In this webinar, we’ll review the top five human capital risks in running your business, as well as strategies for mitigating those risks or minimizing the organizational impact.

HR professionals can be easily overwhelmed with HR data and analytics. This session will break down the topic of HR analytics to provide attendees with a process to use HR data to take action to solve business problems. No need to be a data geek to attend.

The results of HR audits help organizations reduce risk, increase productivity, enhance profits, and become an employer of choice. This presentation will provide an overview of the HR audit process as well as highlight the suggested areas and methods for review. It will also review specific ways organizations can use and benefit from HR audits.

Family businesses are unique animals with all of the thrills and challenges of nonfamily businesses plus the additional complications that can stem from working with family. Join AGH’s Marjorie Engle as she presents key mistakes many family businesses make and provides recommendations for how to avoid them. From employment and compensation to family conflicts and planning processes, she will have steps that you can implement to help improve the odds that your organization runs well, your employees are happy, and your family life stays peaceful.

This practical and enlightening presentation outlines the process for helping employees improve their abilities to embrace change and work well with others, leading to improved business culture, productivity and employee performance.

Our workplaces are changing faster than ever. This webinar will outline trends for 2020 and beyond that you need to know to remain competitive in the talent landscape to ensure you can attain your organizational goals.

Do you feel like your company never makes progress on its major initiatives? Do you have the same goals year after year? Are your meetings boring and full of report outs? Organizations often spend a lot of time, money, and effort creating a compelling vision for the future; only to fail to implement it. Even with the best of intentions in planning, leadership often gets caught up in the daily firefight and loses sight of the big picture. In this webinar, you will learn how to prioritize initiatives, create the discipline and structure for follow up, and maintain momentum in order to gain traction as an organization.

With renewed optimism in the air, organizations are focusing on how to build back even better. That focus is resulting in four key workplace trends. Organizations embracing these trends are separating themselves from their peers and becoming best-in-class employers. In this webinar, Carrie Cox and Daniel White will advise on how to get up-to-speed on these emerging trends involving team development, employee engagement, HR support, and business strategy and innovation. It is a webinar you cannot afford to miss.

If you think executive coaching is for “bad” employees, you’re missing its advantages. Learn how executive coaching for high potential employees can pay off, how to choose a coach and manage the coaching process, and even when coaching may not be the right answer. Offered judiciously to the right people, executive coaching is a powerful tool that can contribute in a major way to an individual’s and an organization’s success.

Do you have a board of directors that is making your organization better? If you answered “no,” you’re not alone; many organizations have stagnant or struggling boards that hinder more than they help. The key to an effective board starts with the right selection process. Join AGH Employer Solutions’ Marjorie Engle as she gives practical advice on the best ways to select and secure board members who will help propel your organization to where it needs to go in order to grow and thrive.

Unlike traditional employee recognition programs, positive reinforcement helps develop employees who not only do their jobs well but also look for opportunities to consistently go above and beyond. Join AGH’s Daniel White as he discusses the efforts managers can make to help their employees feel truly appreciated and recognized, leading to higher productivity and long-term commitment.

COVID-19 has rapidly accelerated our already fast-changing world. How can you keep up with innovation and think differently as you plan for the future of your organization? Whether your organization has been around 5 years or 100 years, this session will give you tools to think creatively about your strategy and future as an organization.

While self-management and prioritization is important for everyone, it’s critical that organizational leaders know when, why and how to say no. Saying yes to everything makes everything a priority. In this webinar, we’ll show how setting boundaries and eliminating unnecessary distractions to help clarify goals is an essential part of leadership.

In the hustle and bustle of today’s business environment, it is imperative for leaders to make smart decisions quickly and help others thrive by instilling confidence in them. Making a wrong decision and correcting course is not what kills organizations, but not making decisions or making them too slowly can. Slow decisions cost time and money. They can cause you to miss a window of opportunity, impact relationships and destroy confidence in leadership.

The economy as we know it can seem like a never-ending roller coaster. There is something unique about companies that survive recession or industry crises and come out thriving. Understanding what actions can be taken before the downturn to gain market share and keep companies strong can make all the difference. From strategic choices to operational improvements, there are steps business leaders can take to ensure their company is prepared.

Last fall, Gallup reported more than 75% of Americans believe the US is more divided than ever. Whether it’s politics, ethnicity, or even sports teams, we sooner or later must work with others very different from us – and it’s easy to fall into a “us vs. them” mindset that hinders performance. This webinar demonstrates a process which can build collaboration and trust across generational, ideological or other kinds of barriers in the workplace.

When you have more responsibilities and priorities than hours in the day, great time management alone can’t help. The key is to identify which responsibilities only you can handle, and which ones could and should be outsourced. Outsourcing is as of much an art and science as being a good manager. This session will help you learn the pros and cons of outsourcing and the best practices that can make it work for you.

With the looming retirements of Baby Boomers, the “keys” to the workforce will soon be handed over to the next generation of workers. Unfortunately, many of these next generation workers are not prepared to take on these leadership roles yet. There are skills and experience gaps that need to be overcome to enable the future success of organizations. Organizational leaders need to implement intentional training and development efforts that connect with the needs and wants of the next generation. This webinar will explore those development necessities and desires, as well as the most effective solutions for addressing them.

How do you drive better performance and engage employees? Often, organizations look to their performance management systems to fix these things, but they are let down. Effective performance management combines formal processes with ongoing one-on-one manager/employee conversations to tie individuals to the organization’s vision and values and provide them with honest and timely feedback, resulting in improved engagement, retention and performance.

Every organization has them: employees who excel at the technical aspects of their roles but have difficulty working well with others. These employees can become an unneeded stressor to their coworkers and managers. However, there is hope. With the willingness to change and the right coaching, employees can improve their soft skills and better contribute to the productivity and profitability of their teams and the organization.

Does your organization have a strategic plan that drives it to success? While many organizations have plans, they may do little to motivate employees or create real results. Join AGH Employer Solutions’ Daniel White as he discusses what good strategic planning looks like as well as the common myths and mistakes.

Your organization spent many hours or even days developing a visionary strategic plan. Is it moving forward – or, as in too many organizations, sitting on a shelf? Learn how to identify potential barriers to strategic plan success – as well as ways to re-energize, re-invigorate, and re-launch a strategic plan to inspire effective implementation toward the desired results and goals.

This presentation will focus on best practices for qualified retirement plans in three general areas: 1) Best practices for an effective and healthy retirement plan. 2) Best practices to maintain your plan’s qualified status ensuring ongoing compliance with IRS and DOL rules and regulation. 3) Best practices to manage and mitigate fiduciary liability for the organization.

Ever feel like your 401(k) plan is not keeping up with the Joneses or maybe just not living up to your expectations? Ever wonder what other companies are doing with their 401(k) plans to recruit and retain employees? Would you like to learn how to help your owners and highly paid employees maximize their savings? As your business grows and your employees' needs change, is your 401(k) plan keeping up with your long-term needs and goals?

If your organization's retirement plan has at least 100 eligible participants, your company is subject to an annual audit by a qualified third-party CPA firm. To avoid making mistakes that can lead to costly penalties and fines as well as drain your time, you must properly prepare for this audit. Failure to do so may subject your plan to a follow-up audit by the DOL and/or IRS, with the qualification of your plan at stake. Even if you're not required to have an audit of your plan, this session will cover the necessary operational tools to keep your plan in compliance with the applicable DOL and IRS requirements. Join us to discover how to self-audit your plan.

As a plan sponsor, you alone bear the fiduciary responsibility of managing your company’s retirement plan – a responsibility that cannot be delegated to an investment advisor, outside trustee or recordkeeper. How do you manage the performance of the plan and act as a “prudent investor” on behalf of all participants while decreasing the company’s risk and your own personal liability?

One of retirement plan sponsors’ top priorities should be to ensure their plans meet the qualification requirements under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 401(a). Maintaining qualified status is often something that is easier said than done, however, due to the many complex and technical IRC requirements. As a result, some plan sponsors find themselves facing the severe consequences that can result from falling out of compliance. This webinar will cover common plan failures and how to fix them using the appropriate correction method based on the type of mistake, the significance of the error, and when it occurred.

As organizational leaders, you must learn how to combat the increasing volume and sophistication of cyberattacks. During this session, Brian Johnson will help you better understand some of the most dangerous and prevalent cyberthreats, and he will offer practical advice for defending your organization from cybercriminals.

Risk management goes beyond data breaches and the IT department. It starts at the top and touches every process in an organization. Some risks require more management than others. In this webinar, Cindy McSwain will discuss how to identify, measure, prioritize and mitigate risks throughout your organization, begin managing those risks and improve your organization’s resiliency and decision-making.

Today’s organizations face an increasingly complex array of risks related to potential threats to key information assets. Unchecked, these risks can threaten an organization’s business processes and impair its ability to meet its mission and goals. An effective risk assessment process can help identify, prioritize, and mitigate those risks. This webinar defines the information risks facing companies and how they can assess and create proactive strategies that reduce the likelihood of potential serious problems.

Information technology fuels our modern business processes. And those processes are exposed to an increasingly complex array of information security risks. Addressing those risks is critical to ensuring the ongoing success of our organizations. This presentation introduces information security principles that we can reliably use to better understand and address our security needs. It is an introductory resource for business leaders and managers who are new to information security, but are being called upon to protect and sustain their information systems and the processes that rely upon them.

Could you afford to lose 5% of your annual revenues to fraud? For many organizations, it’s not IF you’re experiencing fraud, but WHERE it’s happening. Although small or medium-sized entities likely don’t have the resources for sophisticated fraud-prevention strategies, this presentation will outline ways to mitigate the most important fraud risks by understanding where fraud is mostly likely to occur and putting some simple processes in place.

While no business is immune to fraud, small businesses can be more vulnerable because they may lack the personnel or resources to put sophisticated technology in place or separate duties appropriately. However, the most important ways to help prevent fraud don’t require major expenditures: an understanding of the basic principles and role of proper internal controls and a strong ethical culture.

You have made the decision to sell your business to a third party. To maximize the value of your business, you’ll need to prepare well in advance. This webinar outlines 10 steps any business owner needs to think through and take action on to prepare for a sale and maximize value.

Succession planning is something many companies consider only for their CEO or president, even though many other positions are "mission-critical" and can slow or stop business operations if they become vacant. This session will illustrate how you can systematically identify and address the gaps between the needs of today and the succession requirements of the organization in the future. Participants will be provided information and tools that will allow them to implement gap-reduction strategies and make decisions about how to build organizational bench strength.

If you’re considering a transition to the next generation of a family business or to a small group of internal leaders, your transition will be different from outright sale to another company. We’ll outline a process to help business owners set up the next owners for success in financing, transitioning and operating your business.

Business leaders often approach succession and exit planning at the last minute – not considering the wide-ranging implications of their decisions and failing to take a holistic view of the process. In this session, our team of experts from three different fields will outline the range of areas to consider when planning for a business succession or exit and provide a process for a successful transition.

The keys to a successful business transition/exit include personal readiness, business readiness, marketability and family readiness. This webinar will address the personal readiness aspect and what business owners should be thinking about before their exit. Bryan Hanning and Brian Gensch will discuss what seem to be certain myths and truths in the transition process of a business.

At some point, every business owner utilizes the assistance of a professional advisor. This becomes particularly important at times of transition or when trying to develop a succession plan. The success of your business, and the successful transition may or may not be enhanced by the advisors you choose. The assistance you need will vary at different stages and advice may be needed in a multitude of matters like; legal, tax, finance, business strategy and growth, succession, family ownership issues, etc. Good advisors need to be much more than experts in their field, so join us to learn how to choose, evaluate and leverage your own team of trusted advisors.

Although they can seem complicated and tedious, 1099 forms are an essential part of tax reporting compliance. This webinar provides updates on common questions about 1099s, such as deadlines, who must receive 1099, exceptions to the rules and the penalties for non-compliance. Join Cindy McSwain for a review of the rules and tips to stay on track.

This past year was filled with challenges, uncertainty and several new tax laws. How do these changes impact you and your business? Join us as we discuss developments in tax legislation, key tax strategies, and tax savings opportunities that business owners and high-net-worth taxpayers should be aware of as 2020 comes to a close.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made sweeping changes to the tax landscape. However, there are some “old” strategies that are still viable for companies in the right situations. Join AGH professionals as they review and update some of the options that can help make future tax payments less painful.