May 8, 2020
Published by 
Dan Isard on May 8, 2020
Dan Isard on May 8, 2020Never in my 35 years in this profession have I shied away from a fight, and it’ll be no different when addressing the subject matter here. I was recently in Singapore, and upon our arrival, there were Christmas trees, Christmas music and Christmas decorations everywhere. That may not seem unusual to us, but it seems to make little sense in a country that is 42.5% Buddhist, 14.9% Muslim, 8.5% Taoist, 4% Hindu, 14.8% atheist and only 14.6% Christian or Catholic. For these 5.7 million people, Christmas is a nontraditional holiday (not a holy day). And while this casual observation by a nation of nonbelievers must be disconcerting to people who believe Christmas is one of the two holiest days of the year, the Singaporeans have simply taken the traditional from the tradition. For them, decorating for Christmas is something to […]
May 8, 2020
Published by 
Stephanie Ramsey on May 8, 2020
Stephanie Ramsey on May 8, 2020Scenario: Delmond Funeral & Cremation Services is a multi-location business owned by Ken and Stacy Delmond. The business employs more than 20 employees between its various locations. The funeral directors move freely between the various locations as needed, and are licensed to sell preneed on behalf of the business. Recently, while preparing for a family that was coming in to arrange for an imminent death, Stacy pulled the preneed contract that was written a few years ago by one of their funeral directors, Darrin Rodgers. Stacy realized that she did not recognize the insurance company named on the contract as the policy provider. She then began researching their records and discovered that there was no indication that the business had ever had a relationship with the insurance company. Further, the funeral business had never received commissions for selling preneed insurance […]
April 28, 2020
Published by 
Chris Cruger on April 28, 2020
Chris Cruger on April 28, 2020In these totally uncharted waters we are all facing, it is imperative that we all plan for our future. It essentially boils down to three simple rules – Accept the things we cannot change Change the things we can Create a plan that maximizes your opportunity for success Accept the things we cannot change As we are all adjusting to the “new normal”, it is absolutely beyond our control what restrictions the federal, state or local governments are going to impose around our ability to serve families. Social distancing and other restrictions being imposed are having everything from minimal to extreme impact on our business. Recently the Governor of New Jersey imposed a mandate that all deceased be handled as a direct burial or direct cremation. Now, we don’t have to totally accept that lying down but it does have […]
April 24, 2020
Published by Chris Cruger on April 24, 2020
Chris Cruger on April 24, 2020$370 billion to replenish SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program Congress moved quickly to pass legislation that appropriates an additional $484 million to continue to finance the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), along with several other initiatives aimed to mitigate the economic hardships caused by Covid-19. Following the Senate’s approval Tuesday, the House passed the bill last night and President Trump is expected to sign it into law today. The new legislation provides an additional $310 billion in new funding for the PPP and $60 billion for the EIDL. It also allocates $75 billion for hospitals and health care providers, and $25 billion for the development and expansion of coronavirus testing, The $310 billion for the PPP includes $30 billion reserved for community-based lenders, small […]
April 24, 2020
Published by 
Nicole Vullo on April 24, 2020
Nicole Vullo on April 24, 2020Many small business owners have already applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The PPP was created as a way for businesses to be able to keep employees on payroll. Some borrowers have already received their funding. Although you may have already received your PPP loan, there are still some vital considerations to focus on. These will help borrowers maximize on the amount of loan forgiveness received. The actions borrowers take now will impact the amount of possible loan forgiveness and it is crucial to begin the planning process immediately. How Much of the Loan Is Forgiven? According to the SBA, loans can be forgiven if employees remain on payroll during the eight-week period after the loan is funded. The money can also be used to cover specific business-related expenses. Please note that the actual amount that is forgiven […]