Abrigo

JANUARY 28, 2015

'By Brad Spence, Director of Sageworks Valuation Solution. It’s a classic conundrum – to build versus to buy. Make dinner at home versus take-out. While there are certainly people constructing their own coffee table – measuring, cutting, sanding and staining – most will drop a bill or two on a vintage-looking wood piece to prop up our feet after a long day.

111

111

GoCardless

JANUARY 13, 2015

What is a payment gateway? And how do you find the right one for your business?

52

52

Abrigo

JANUARY 14, 2015

'Bringing in new clients is a top priority for forensic and valuation accountants, with 87 percent calling the task somewhat or extremely important, according to a recent AICPA study. The emphasis on business development is understandable. Valuation work lacks as much repeat business (unless it’s tied to a recurring engagement like employee stock ownership plans) as tax preparation and other traditional accounting services, according to the Journal of Accountancy ’s review of the stu

110

110

Abrigo

JANUARY 29, 2015

'By Natasha Closs, Director of ProfitCents Consulting & Advisory Services. An ongoing challenge for accountants and other financial services professionals is attracting new clients. In fact, bringing in new clients is at or near the top of the list of challenges facing accounting firms of all sizes, and it’s a top priority among specialists, such as forensic and valuation accountants, as well.

Accounting Firms 107

Accounting Firms 107

Abrigo

JANUARY 8, 2015

'Business valuation services are among the highest-growing niche services among Top 100 accounting firms, according to Accounting Today. One aspect of providing this service, however, is notoriously time-consuming and frustrating: Writing business valuation reports. At the same time, it’s crucial that you produce a quality report, according to Rod Burkert, who teaches a course on business valuation report writing and who is founder of Burkert Valuation Advisors LLC.

Accounting Firms 102

Accounting Firms 102

Abrigo

JANUARY 22, 2015

'According to a recent survey from four Federal Reserve Banks, small regional and community banks have the highest approval rate for small business loans. Over the first half of 2014, these banks, with an approval rate of just under 60 percent, beat out large national banks (31 percent), large regional banks (45 percent) and online lenders (38 percent).

Small Businesses 98

Small Businesses Credit Unions Credit Scoring 98

Abrigo

JANUARY 7, 2015

'Risk rating credits is a primary function at any bank or credit union, and the methodology used will impact everything from the loans the institution will originate, to concentration limits and lending strategy to reserve levels and, as a result, bank earnings. With such a widespread effect throughout the bank, getting the methodology right is critical.

Credit Unions 94

Credit Unions 94

Abrigo

JANUARY 19, 2015

'The Recession and its subsequent rate of bank failures underscore the need for banks of all sizes to invest in developing a capital plan. The Recession taught many institutions that whatever processes had been in place for managing capital were not sufficient. Often, they either failed to include forward-looking analyses, or the forward-looking analysis outlined in capital policy may not have gone to far enough extremes.

Credit Unions 89

Credit Unions CECL Credit Risk 89

Abrigo

JANUARY 15, 2015

'Finding one’s dream home can be a tedious, lengthy process. Financing it can feel even more cumbersome for many homebuyers. There are a lot of options on the table for mortgage applicants, and sometimes comparing interest rates and conditions can feel overwhelming, particularly for first-time homebuyers. Interestingly, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pointed out that nearly half of applicants don’t shop around for their mortgage.

Credit Unions 88

Credit Unions 88

Abrigo

JANUARY 13, 2015

'During an October 2014 NCUA examination of Palm Springs Federal Credit Union (FCU), a confidential flash drive went missing. According to Palm Springs FCU President & CEO Debbi Pitigliano, the drive was provided to the NCUA and contained members’ personal information, including names, addresses and social security numbers. Since last check, the drive’s location remains unknown but no unauthorized access to members’ accounts has been reported.

Cybersecurity 83

Cybersecurity Credit Unions Small Businesses 83

Abrigo

JANUARY 12, 2015

'A common mistake among retailers is selling based on price rather than on value, a retail industry consultant wrote recently. When retailers focus on price, it results in customers “cherry-picking the best item while avoiding the profit-filled add ons,” says The Retail Doctor founder Bob Phibbs. “It’s like they go to the bargain matinee but never visit the concession stand.

Accounting Firms 83

Accounting Firms 83

Abrigo

JANUARY 5, 2015

'Institutions nationwide saw improvements in credit quality and higher loan growth in 2014. As they look to continue the positive trend, we are likely to see increased activity in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market. With the number of commercial banks continuing to decrease, 5,636 as of Q3 2014 from 6,110 as of Q3 2012 according to FRED data , many expect the overall number of commercial banks to decrease even further – largely as a result of M&A activity rather than bank fa

Credit Unions 83

Credit Unions 83

Abrigo

JANUARY 27, 2015

'Following three successful years in Nashville, Tennessee, the 2015 Risk Management Summit heads to a new city this September. Bank and credit union executives and leading industry experts will convene September 23-25 in Chicago, Illinois, for the premier banking conference covering the ALLL and stress testing. Given pending changes to the ALLL as a result of the FASB’s CECL model, continued challenges within the allowance and increasing focus on stress testing , the Summit is designed to

Credit Unions 74

Credit Unions CECL 74

Abrigo

JANUARY 6, 2015

'“Let’s connect on LinkedIn…” This phrase has become almost as common as exchanging business cards when at an industry event or conference. Perhaps you’ve even used the phrase at the grocery store or the gym. The question is no longer if you’re on the social networking site, but whether you are an active user. LinkedIn connects more than 300 million people around the globe, and chances are that if there’s someone you want to know professionally, they&rs

Accounting Firms 68

Accounting Firms 68

Abrigo

JANUARY 1, 2015

'Some of the biggest banking stories in 2014 centered on massive data breaches at top retailers, M&A activities, and regulatory changes like the IASB’s IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. And, as is the case with every year’s end, the media has speculated on what could make headlines in 2015. American Banker recently touched on a potentially interesting trend within their roundup of the 10 big ideas for banking in 2015 – the concept of financial institutions developing their own

CECL 68

CECL 68

GoCardless

JANUARY 28, 2015

A guide to sort code checkers walking you through what a sort code checker is and how it works before looking at how effective they are.

40

40

Abrigo

JANUARY 20, 2015

'By Natasha L. Closs, Director of ProfitCents Consulting & Advisory Services. To increase revenue, your accounting firm either needs to add clients or boost prices, right? Those are certainly two options for accountants looking to have a better busy season than last year. Taking either of these approaches, however, could mean you are overlooking a valuable source of new revenue under your nose: Cross-selling services to existing clients.

Accounting Firms 88

Accounting Firms 88