Consulting & Planning

For Business, Nonprofit & Other Entities

At Yoder & Company, we focus on building close client relationships that add long-term value. Planning for the future needs of business is an important part of the consulting service provided by Yoder & Company.

Because many business decisions are influenced by taxes as well as other business, economic, political and global factors, you will see certain types of planning discussed in Yoder & Company's services for Tax, Consulting and Employee Benefit Plans.

It is important to assess strategies periodically. Yoder & Company’s advisory services are designed to help our clients take command of their business or organization by being proactive in meeting challenges and seizing opportunities.

Entity selection & restructuring. Forming a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or nonprofit entity has a various implications for your taxes, responsibilities and liabilities. From your company's inception and through its growth and development, Yoder & Company can advise you on choosing an entity type and later restructuring if advantageous.

Cash flow & Budget analysis. Good cash management can improve a company's liquidity, reduce costs, and increase profitability. Yoder & Company can help you maintain optimal cash flow levels by tracking sources and uses, forecasting, and budgeting. To a business entity, cash flow and availability of credit is something that can make or break your business's ability to survive.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Sales. Business transactions and transitions are complicated affairs, and whether you're buying, selling, or considering a potential merger, Yoder & Company can provide professional know-how to help you successfully structure and negotiate the deal. We employ careful analysis and due diligence to pinpoint the most favorable tax structures, evaluate financial and cash flow impact, and identify compatible business functions and tactics. Expanding or contracting your business is a huge undertaking. With our expert advice, you can make the right decisions for your business. The perspective of a team of professionals and business executives is needed for a successful transaction. Yoder & Company works closely with your other advisors to ensure that you maximize value and minimize transaction-related income taxes and costs.

Business Succession plans. Family-owned businesses often want to transfer ownership to children or relatives and keep it in the family. The intentions of the founder should be clearly defined if the organization is to remain true to it's mission. Determining who will be at the helm when the founder retires is an important decision. Choosing a family member versus hiring an outside executive may result in the need to restructure and prepare the new owner(s) for managing the business. The future of your organization depends on competent planning and preparation.

Technology. As technologies rapidly advance, companies need to integrate their computer and communication systems. Secure cloud solutions for transferring data, collaborating, video meetings, training webinars, etc. are changing where, when and how we do business. To be competitive, companies must embrace these new technologies.

Yoder & Company can help identify areas in which newer technology options may make you more efficient. We can help you with some of the following technology needs:

• Selecting and implementing an electronic records system. In today's world, people resist having to deal with paper records and there are advantages to using electronic records instead of hard-copy paper. Successful implementation requires careful planning, development of naming and filing structures, and retention and enforcement policies.
• Decisions relating to hiring in-house staff versus outsourcing your IT support requirements. As a user of IT services since 1980, we know the pros and cons of hiring our own employees, engaging independent contractors and outsourcing our IT needs to a managed services company.
• Data security requirements and efficient use of new methods to ensure your electronic documents are kept safe, current, confidential and available when needed. Users are pressuring (IT) departments to allow use of their favorite remote devices for conducting business. IT executives are struggling to balance the benefits of new technology with the need to keep their data and systems secure.
• There are many Internet options for processing data and communicating. Cloud solutions are available for voice communication which preclude the need to purchase in-house phone systems. Email, texting and other forms of social media change the way we communicate. Options for processing your company data include: using your own in-house computers; using "Software as a Service (SaaS) in an Internet portal; or by using a combination of both. Video conferencing enables the use of technology for meetings. Knowing what options are available is difficult in this fast-changing technology environment.

Controls & Security. A good Internal Control system can help you reduce the cost of assurance audits when they are needed. Internal control is a combination of different types of controls meant to prevent and detect fraudulent activity or losses. If one level of control fails, another level may detect or prevent other failures. It includes financial, technology and operational controls. Management Control is the system of policies and procedures designed to ensure the internal controls stay in place over time and remain appropriate. Organizational structure and risk assessment is an important element of management control. Security of both data and premises is essential in this world of remote devices integrating with older technology. While no system of controls can guarantee they will not fail, Yoder & Company can help you with certain elements of internal control.

Employee Benefit including Retirement plans. Choosing and administering benefit plans for your employees or members is a complex process. These plans are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and have special tax rules. Depending on the size of these plans and the type of investments they own, organizations may be required to have an annual audit, file an income tax return and file information returns with the U.S. Department of Labor.

Yoder & Company works closely with attorneys and plan administrators to help you develop and implement your benefit and retirement plans with an eye toward rewarding your employees and reaching your company's goals. We can also help maximize tax advantages. As your business grows, you and your employees will be rewarded for the hard work that contributed to the success of your business.

See the Employee Benefit Plans service for additional ways we can assist the administrator or trustee of an Employee Benefit Plan.

Human Resources. One of the largest costs of doing business includes labor and staffing. Complying with the ever-changing requirements relating to employees and contractors is important because of large penalties for non-compliance and the possibility of law suits. We can help you with some of the following HR issues:

• Recommend payroll solutions based on your needs
• Assist you in determining if employee compensation and benefits comply with requirements
• Assist you with tracking employee benefits earned and taken
• Provide guidance on due dates and compliance with payroll deposits, workman's compensation reports and payroll tax returns
• Recommend periodic review of your employee handbook to ensure it is current and consistent with your practices.
• Provide suggestions regarding outsourcing versus hiring employees or contracting with independent contractors
• Interview prospective accounting staff, provide our impressions and recommendations on various candidates and recommend verification procedures and background checks.
• Recommend consultation with your insurance agent to ensure your insurance is appropriate for your risks with regard to bonding, liability, workman's compensation, etc.

Other. For our clients needing business valuations, financial projections & forecasts and other consulting services Yoder & Company does not provide, we can refer you to qualified professionals who specialize in those services. Due to the nature of the current business climate, we have developed a network of qualified professionals such as attorneys, pension administrators, information technology consultants and other accounting firms with specialized knowledge.

In an ever-changing financial, regulatory and technical environment, we strive to meet each client's specific needs in planning for the future and achieving their goals. Yoder & Company and our network of expert professionals results in a powerful team that is capable and responsive to the needs of our clients.

With careful planning...