IT Alert: Microsoft Permanently Disabling Basic Authentication

Aug 08, 2022

What Does This Mean?

Effective October 1, 2022, Microsoft will permanently disable Basic Authentication (Basic Auth) due to security concerns and outdated technology. The planned replacement is called none other than, Modern Authentication (Modern Auth). So, what does this mean for your organization?

Basic Authentication & Security Issues

Basic Auth simply means an application sends usernames and passwords over the Internet as encoded text. These credentials are also often stored or saved on the device.

While the credentials are encoded, meaning converted to characters or symbols, this form of authentication can expose usernames and passwords. Hackers may intercept the transmission, decoding and stealing the information. Since Microsoft announced its disablement of Basic Auth in September of last year there has been a notable spike in high-level attacks by cybercriminals. According to Microsoft, “As a reminder, Basic Auth is still one of, if not the most common ways our customers get compromised, and these types of attacks are increasing. Every day [you have] Basic Auth enabled; you are at risk from attack.”

Furthermore, Basic Auth does not support multi-factor authentication (MFA) which is the best protection against cyber-attack and is now required under Presidential order 14028. To learn more about MFA, check out our previous blog here.

Modern Authentication

Modern authentication is an umbrella term for a combination of authentication and authorization methods between a client (for example, your laptop or your phone) and a server. With Modern Auth comes additional security features like MFA, smart cards, etc. Modern authentication doesn’t let apps save account credentials and is better designed for Internet-scale and management.

Next Steps

If your organization has not begun the transition to Modern Authentication, it is mission-critical that you begin doing so now.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is strongly encouraging organizations to make the move immediately and to enable multifactor authentication.

WVC Technologies can assist you in this transition. Our partner, DMC Technology group and their certified team of technicians can walk you and your team through the process.

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Greg Gomach

Greg Gomach
Senior Client Executive
Greg.Gomach@dmctechgroup.com

Categories: Risk Services

5 Tips to Attract and Retain Talent During the Great Resignation

Jul 14, 2022

From the fading “help wanted” signs posted in windows of local businesses, to the daily news headlines, it’s no doubt the effects of The Great Resignation have permeated throughout America’s economy. And not only are companies struggling to find new talent, but even retaining their existing workforce has become a challenge; according to research, as many as 95% of employees are considering quitting their jobs or switching careers altogether.

In an effort to understand what these trends mean for Ohio businesses, William Vaughan Company teamed up with regional leaders to host a panel discussion where we discussed innovative techniques companies are starting to employ in order to attract and retain talent. Here are our top 5 takeaways:

Expand your search to include traditionally untapped talent populations.
Every 1 out of 4 adults in the United States is currently living with a disability, however, in 2021 only 19 percent of those individuals were gainfully employed. Making small changes to your workspace to accommodate these individuals can often be funded by grants and opens up an entirely new pool of talent from which to pull. Other talent pool opportunities include the previously incarcerated or second chance communities which is roughly 70 million Americans, and the veteran population. Thinking outside the box and investing in untapped talent could be a real solution in an extremely competitive job market.
Be proactive in recruiting by keeping your “talent pipeline” full.
Just as companies keep track of pending deals in their sales pipeline, keeping track of applicants in a “talent pipeline” is equally as beneficial. While an applicant may not be the right fit for an existing job opening, keeping their information on-hand for a future job posting could prove to be useful.
Check-in with new hires within the first 90 days.
Studies show the majority of turnover happens within the first 90 days of employment. Improving onboarding procedures and checking-in with new hires within that 90-day window is crucial to employee retention.
Get involved on local school boards.
Last year alone, 80 percent of local college graduates relocated for work. Making connections with board members at local high schools and universities has proven to be a great way for businesses to get their foot in the door with up-and-coming talent.
Leverage professional connections.
While recruiting firms and temp agencies may provide some momentary workload relief, leveraging connections with industry-specific business consultants may lead to finding that perfect, long-team hire. For example, William Vaughan Company offers CFO, Controller & Bookkeeper Placement services that help our clients make the right decisions for their long-term objectives.

Interested in hearing the entire discussion? Visit our Youtube channel for the full recording. To learn more about William Vaughan Company’s onboarding and placement guarantee, be sure to reach out to our team of trusted business consultants.

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wvco.com

Categories: Other Resources

New USDA Loan Program Focused on Food Supply Chain Revitalization

Feb 08, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary, Tom Vilsack recently announced that the USDA is deploying $100 million under the new Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program to make nearly $1 billion available in loan guarantees. The objectives are to support new investments in infrastructure for food aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, wholesaling, and distribution, and to also increase capacity and create a more resilient, diverse, and secure U.S. food supply chain.

What is the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program?

The Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program is a part of the USDA’s Build Back Better initiative to strengthen critical supply chains and our food system. This program guarantees loans of up to $40 million for qualified lenders to finance food system projects, specifically for the start-up or expansion of activities in the middle of the food supply chain.

Who qualifies?

Eligible borrowers must be directly engaged in the middle of the food supply chain, specifically the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of food. Examples of the types of entities that may qualify for the program include meat processors and food hubs. Lenders may provide the loans to eligible cooperatives, corporations, for-profits, nonprofits, Tribal communities, public bodies, and people in rural and urban areas.

How can funds be used?

Funds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and may be used to:

start-up or expand food supply chain activities such as aggregating, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distributing food.
address supply chain bottlenecks.
increase capacity and help create a more resilient, diverse, and secure U.S. food supply chain.

How do I apply?

The USDA is accepting electronic applications from lenders through the Food Supply Chain Online Application System until funds are expended. Paper applications will not be accepted.

To access the online application system, lenders must submit a request to rdfoodsupplychainloans@usda.gov.
USDA Rural Development encourages applications for projects that advance the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, promote equitable access to USDA programs and services, and reduce the impacts of climate change on rural communities. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

Categories: Agribusiness

New R&E Expenditure Changes Under IRC Section 174 to Begin in 2022

Jan 26, 2022

As 2022 begins, so does the amendment to the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 174, originally introduced by 2017 tax reform legislation, the Tax and Jobs Act (TCJA.)

That amendment requires both US-Based and non US-Based research and experimental expenditures (R&E) for tax years starting after December 31st, 2021 be capitalized and amortized over a period of five or 15 years, respectively.
Previous to the TCJA amendment, taxpayers could elect to either capitalize and amortize R&E expenditures over a period of at least 60 months, or deduct the expenditures in the year paid or incurred, (taxpayers could also choose to make an election under Section 59(e) to amortize expenditures over 10 years.) Under the new legislation, amortization begins at the midpoint of the taxable year in which expenses are paid or incurred, which could create a significant year-one impact.

For example, if a taxpayer incurs $5 million of R&E expenditures in 2022, the taxpayer will now be entitled to amortization expense of $500,000 in 2022. We arrived at this calculated by dividing $5 million by five years, then cutting the annual amortization amount in half. Prior to the TCJA, the taxpayer would have immediately expensed all $5 million on its 2022 tax return, assuming it did not make an election under Section 174(b) or Section 59(e) to capitalize the amounts.

Additionally, software development costs have been added as R&E expenditures under Section 174(c)(3) and, therefore, are also subject to the same mandatory amortization period of five or 15 years. Previously, under Rev. Proc. 2000-50 options existed for taxpayers to either expense software development costs as they incurred, amortize over 36 months from the date the software was placed in service, or amortize over not less than 60 months from the date the development was completed.

Immediate Considerations
Under the new Section 174 requirements, taxpayers should ensure that all R&E expenditures are properly identified, as some may be able to leverage from existing systems/tracking to identify R&E. Taxpayers that have existing systems in place to calculate the research credit will likely be able to use such computations as a helpful starting point for determining R&E expenditures. By definition, any costs included in the research credit calculation would then need to be recovered under the five-year amortization period.

Taxpayers currently not identifying any R&E expenditures should consider the steps necessary to assess the amount of their expenditures that are subject to Section 174. Under some circumstances, it may be wise to begin separating out R&E expenditure amounts to their own trial balance accounts, e.g. to have a separate “trial balance account” for R&E expenditure wages versus non-R&E wages. Determining which costs should be included in the relevant R&E expenditure trial balance accounts will likely involve interviews with the taxpayer’s operation and financial accounting personnel, as well as the development of allocation methodologies that determine which expenses (e.g., rent) relate to both R&E expenditure and non-R&E expenditure activities.

Additional Effects of Section 174 Amendment
It should be noted that under Section 174, the types of expenses eligible for duction are generally broader than those expenses eligible for credit under Section 41. For example, Section 41 allows supplies, wages and contract research, while Section 174 can include items such as utilities, depreciation, attorneys’ fees and other expenditures related to the development or improvement of a product.

Key Take-Aways
The implemented changes of Section 174 may bring some potentially favorable tax developments for those previously employing the capitalization of R&E expenditures. With the new amendment allowing for amortization of R&E expenditures at the midpoint of the fiscal year they were incurred, certain taxpayers may be able to recoup those costs sooner.

It should also be noted that the language in the TCJA indicates that the Section 174 amendment should be treated as a “change in method of accounting” and applies on a cut-off basis beginning for tax year 2022. Any costs incurred before 2022 will remain as-is and fall under the previous rules mentioned above. It is still unknown if taxpayers that previously expensed their R&E expenditures will have to file an “Application for Change in Method of Accounting (Form 3115).”

The IRS is expected to release guidance on how taxpayers should comply with the new rule for the 2022 tax year, presuming the start-date of the provision is not again postponed by Congress. Because of this and other areas of uncertainly surrounding the new amendment, taxpayers should continue to monitor IRS and Treasury updates, or consult with their William Vaughan advisor before filing any 2022 tax returns in order to ensure compliance with the latest regulations.

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Robert Bradshaw, CPA

Tax Partner

bob.bradshaw@wvco.com | 419.891.1040

Categories: Tax Planning

Canada’s New Digital Sales Tax

Jan 10, 2022

Written by: Brian Morcombe, Partner & Indirect Tax Practice Leader, BDO Canada – 2021

On July 1, 2021, new rules came into force that will significantly impact non-resident vendors and online platform operators. Specifically, the changes require certain non-resident vendors and operators of online platforms to register for, collect, and remit goods and services tax (GST)/harmonized sales tax (HST) on:

sales of digital products and services provided to Canadian customers;
goods supplied through fulfillment warehouses located in Canada and made by non-resident vendors directly through websites; and
supplies made via short-term accommodation platforms.

Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s new digital sales taxes.

Supplies of digital property and services

What are the new rules?

Non-resident vendors supplying digital property and services to consumers in Canada are required to register for and collect GST/HST on these taxable supplies to Canadian consumers. An example is Netflix which, prior to July 2021, may not have been viewed as carrying on business in Canada and was not required to register for GST/HST. Under the new rules, Netflix is required to register to collect tax from customers in Canada that are not registered for GST/HST, putting Netflix on equal footing with Canadian resident streaming service vendors already required to collect tax from customers.

A consumer includes persons not registered for GST/HST (persons registered for GST/HST are not considered consumers for the purposes of the new rules). Operators of third-party distribution platforms making these types of supplies are also required to register. A simplified registration and remittance framework is available to these registrants that are not otherwise carrying on business in Canada.

The new requirements apply to non-resident vendors and distribution platform operators whose revenue from taxable supplies of property and/or services exceed, or are expected to exceed, C$30,000 over a 12-month period.

Can ITCs be claimed?

A condition of the simplified framework is that non-resident vendors and distribution platform operators using the simplified registration framework are not able to claim input tax credits (ITCs) to recover any GST/HST paid on expenses they incur related to their Canadian sales.

Goods supplied through fulfillment warehouses and through websites

What are the new rules?

Distribution platform operators are required to register to collect and remit GST/HST under the general regime (as opposed to the simplified framework discussed above) on sales of goods located in warehouses in Canada if the sales are made through that platform by non-registered vendors. Non-resident vendors using Canadian fulfillment warehouses to sell in Canada without the use of a distribution platform are also required to register for and collect GST/HST under the general regime. Fulfillment businesses in Canada are required to notify the Canada Revenue Agency of their activities and maintain certain records related to non-resident clients.

Lastly, non-resident vendors that make sales to consumers in Canada using their own website are generally also required to register for GST/HST under the general regime. GST/HST registration and collection is required where qualifying supplies, including those made through distribution platforms by non-registered third-party vendors to purchasers in Canada that are not registered for the GST/HST, exceed or are expected to exceed C$30,000 in a 12-month period.

Can ITCs be claimed?

Vendors that are registered under the general regime, as opposed to the simplified framework, will generally be eligible to claim ITCs in respect of GST/HST incurred in the course of their commercial activities.

Short-term accommodation platforms

What are the new rules?

GST/HST applies to all supplies of short-term accommodation (generally a residential complex or unit supplied for periods of less than 30 days and for more than C$20/day) supplied in Canada through an accommodation platform, such as Airbnb. If the property owner is registered for GST/HST, the owner continues to be responsible for collecting and remitting the GST/HST from its guests. If the property owner is not registered for GST/HST, the accommodation platform operator must collect and remit the GST/HST on that property owner’s supplies of accommodation to consumers.

Can ITCs be claimed?

Non-resident accommodation platform operators that are not considered to be carrying on business in Canada and are making supplies to consumers (as opposed to GST/HST registered persons) use the simplified registration framework, resulting in no entitlement for ITCs. Accommodation platform operators that are resident in Canada are required to register under the general regime and are able to claim ITCs where all conditions are met.

What about provincial sales tax (PST)?

If all of this sounds familiar, it should. Quebec introduced digital sales tax provisions aimed at non-residents of Canada that are not registered for GST/HST and Quebec sales tax (QST), defined as foreign specified suppliers, as well as specified digital platform operators on Jan. 1, 2019, requiring them to become registered for QST. Beginning Sept. 1, 2019, this QST registration requirement was broadened to include residents and non-residents that are registered for GST/HST but not registered for QST (i.e., Canadian specified suppliers).

Impacted vendors are required to register for QST under the simplified framework where sales exceed C$30,000 to individual consumers in Quebec in the preceding 12 months and relate to intangibles (like software and digitized products) and services. Canadian specified suppliers are required to collect QST on goods as well as intangibles and services. Like the new GST/HST simplified framework, Quebec restricted input tax refunds on vendors using its simplified framework.

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, Saskatchewan introduced rules targeting non-residents making e-commerce sales to purchasers in the province. Online marketplace facilitators and online accommodation platforms are now required to register and collect PST on electronic distribution services that are delivered, streamed, or accessed through an electronic distribution platform (e.g., website, internet, portal, or gateway) and online accommodation services that are delivered or accessed through an online accommodation platform, respectively.

British Columbia expanded its PST registration requirements to include Canadian sellers of goods, along with Canadian and foreign sellers of software and telecommunication services. These new provisions come into force on April 1, 2021.

Lastly, Manitoba recently released legislation taxing certain digital sales of goods and services effective Dec. 1, 2021. The following vendors will be caught in the new rules and will be required to register for, collect and remit Manitoba retail sales tax (RST):

online marketplaces on the sale of taxable goods sold by third parties via their online platforms;
online accommodation platforms on the booking of taxable accommodations in Manitoba; and
audio and video streaming service providers on the sale of streaming services (by virtue of being included as telecommunication services).

Given the different approaches taken by the federal government and each of the provinces when taxing digital property and services, vendors and platform operators will need to gain a strong understanding of the requirements in each jurisdiction to prevent costly errors. If you need assistance navigating these rules, please contact your WVC advisor

Categories: Uncategorized