MGI is a worldwide association of independent auditing, accounting and consulting firms. Established over fifty years ago, MGI is now represented in over 265 offices on all continents, and in more than 80 countries throughout the world.
MGI North America now has more than 50 offices in 5 countries. International businesses now face the formidable challenges of globalization, emergence of new markets and increasing competition.
MGI North America firms are ready to meet these challenges, helping clients to form strategic alliances, both at home and abroad. Forming a strategic alliance between companies can provide many competitive advantages. Combined force of action can help reach new consumers and production centers, explore wide-ranging opportunities and operate more efficiently. It can also facilitate expansion of operations, make significant savings on labor costs and help to capitalize on scaled economies.
Beginning Tuesday, April 16 through Friday, May 31, 2013 our hours will be as follows:
Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
WDR in conjunction with Jaeger & Flynn Associates presented a workshop on May 1st, 2013 about the sections of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) that will have the most significant effect on businesses.
IRS Introducing a Simplified Option for Home Office Deduction
The home office deduction rules are among the most complex in the Tax Code and are strictly enforced by the IRS. On January 15, 2013, the IRS announced a new simplified option (also known as a safe harbor method) to calculate the home office deduction. The simplified option, at this time, is capped at $1,500 per year based on $5 a square foot up to 300 square feet. It is important to weigh the benefits of using the new simplified option against computing the home office deduction under the regular Tax Code rules. For the entire article http://www.wdrcpa.com/blog.php/
Important Notice to Employers with Employees who are eligible for Medicare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may contact you regarding health insurance coverage you may provide employees who are eligible for Medicare. CMS is attempting to determine which plan, Medicare or the employer health plan, is the primary payer of these employees’ health services. The letter requires a mandatory response usually within 30 days. You can get an extension to 60 days. If you receive the questionnaire and would like our assistance in responding to it, please contact Karen A. Carpenter, CPA in our office.
Renee Law – President of Wilton Kiwanis
Congratulations to Renee who was inducted as President of the Wilton chapter of Kiwanis International in October. WDR is proud of your commitment to Kiwanis. “Kiwanis International is a global organization of members of every age who dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.”
Health Care Reform 2.0 – The Road Ahead
The workshop, presented by WDR, on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 was held at The Queensbury Hotel, and featured special guest speaker, Andrew Coccia, with Deloitte Consulting.
Follow us on LinkedIn
WDR will be posting topics that might be of interest to our clients on LinkedIn. We invite you to follow WDR.
Congratulations Diane!!
Diane Varney has completed the Advanced QuickBooks ProAdvisor Certification from Inuit.
Find us on Facebook
We have launched a firm facebook page. We welcome everyone to like us to receive WDR news on facebook.
“Living the 50plus Lifestyle” Conference and Expo
Dale Mullin and Jarka Dearstyne will be exhibiting at the “Living the 50plus Lifestyle” Conference and Expo, Friday, September 21, 2012 at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Latham. This expo is the 1st event for baby boomers focusing on retirement planning, caring for aging parents and much more. For more information contact Dale or Jarka.
Sunsetting of QuickBooks 2009
On May 31, 2012, Intuit will officially sunset and no longer support QuickBooks 2009. As such, we will no longer maintain that version of QuickBooks on our system. Please note that any versions of client QuickBook's files that are from QuickBooks 2009 or earlier will be updated to the most recent version of QuickBooks, and that we will no longer be able to provide you with the Accountants' Change File for those clients that prefer to give us Accountants' Copies of their files.
We encourage those that are using QuickBooks 2009 or earlier to update the program. If you have any questions, please contact our office.
Congratulations Renee!!
Renee Law has successfully completed her Masters of Science in Taxation degree at the State University of New York.
Rotary Club of Glens Falls Honors Donna Farrar
Donna Farrar was presented the Rotary Club of Glens falls, New York’s Charter Day award on April 28, 2011. The Charter Day award was presented in recognition and thanks for Donna’s outstanding and dedicated service and leadership of the Club.
In 1987 Donna along with two other women became the first female members of the Glens Falls Rotary Club. Having served on the Club’s Youth Exchange Committee and Board of Directors, Donna was named the first woman President of the club for the 1995-96 club year.
Donna is active in the Pure Water for the World project, and travelled to Honduras in 2006 to help implement the water filter program there. She is on the steering committee for the club’s sixth annual Water Walk fund-raiser which is May 7th this year in Crandall Park, Glens Falls.
Please join us in congratulating Donna on her award!
Does your Medical Practice Need a Physical?
Bob Ricciardelli, JD, CPA has specialized in assisting health care professionals for over fifteen years. That experience has provided him with key insights into that unique profession, allowing him to identify what can make a medical practice maximize their success. In the February 2010 issue of Success Magazine, Bob provides an overview of some of the practices and procedures that can help a medical practice acheive that goal. The article may be found at:
http://www.successmagazinesltd.com/ in the Contributing Writers section.
Tax Planning With Life Insurance
Dale Mullin, CPA, CFP shares some relevnt tax information about life insurance in the Summer 2010 issue of Success Magazine. The article may be found at:
http://www.successmagazinesltd.com/
Do You Know Who is "Borrowing" From Your Business?
Have you noticed the increased frequency of stories pertaining to fraudulent activity on your local news broadcast and in your newspaper? Did you know that in many cases the employees considered to be most trusted within the organization perpetrate the fraud? It seems only natural to allow these “trusted employees” to take care of the financial records. In many cases they are good people that fell on hard times and had the capability to “borrow” funds from your organization to help bail them out. So what turns these seemingly good people into embezzlers? Read the balance of this article by Colin Combs, CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, in Success Magazine, April 2010 issue, found at:
http://www.successmagazinesltd.com/
WDR featured in Success Magazine, Ltd.
We are pleased to annouce that we are one of the feature articles in the February 2010 issue of Success Magazine, Ltd. Phil Whittemore, Paul Dowen, and Bob Ricciardelli were interviewed for the article. Topics discussed include the formation of WDR, our firm philosophy, and what we anticipate in the future for our firm.
The article may be found at:
John Roberts named Audit Manager
We are please to announce that John D. Roberts, CPA has been named Audit Manager for the firm. As manager, John will be responsible for all phases of audits, from planning through completion, and will be responsible for training and supervising other audit personnel. John is experienced in the audits of for-profit and not-for-profit as well as governmental entities.
Colin Combs named as Partner
We are pleased to announce that Colin D. Combs, CPA, CFE has been named a partner in the firm. Colin has has been a senior manager in the our accounting and auditing department. His practice specialization is governmental and not-for-profit audits. Colin also heads up the firm’s fraud auditing unit.
Colin joined the firm of Edwards, Williams, McManus & Ricciardelli in June of 2003 which merged with Whittemore, Dowen & Kilburn in April 2006. In 1996, Colin graduated from Adirondack Community College with an AAS degree in Accounting and in 2001 he received his BS degree from Siena College. Colin was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in August 2005. On March 17, 2008, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the world’s leading provider of anti-fraud training and education, awarded him the globally preferred Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation. Colin is also a Leadership Saratoga Alumni of the class of 2007.
Welcome Jarka Dearstyne
The firm is pleased to announce the addition of Jarka Dearstyne to our team.
Jarka joins the firm as an account manager. Dearstyne, who holds an MBA from Union Graduate College, will be responsible for tax planning and preparation for high net worth individuals, business owners and trusts as well as financial and estate planning for individuals, including investment management and advisory services. In addition to her role in financial services, Dearstyne will take part in the WDR business consulting services department and help develop and manage new individual and business clients. Dearstyne, who previously worked as an executive financial planner at The Ayco Company, has more than six years of financial planning experience. Her strong background in financial planning includes investments, estate planning, retirement planning and wealth transfer. Dearstyne, a Rexford native, received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Union College in 2001 and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Union Graduate College. Dearstyne holds both her NASD Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.
"It's a tremendous opportunity to be part of such an experienced and dedicated team, especially during a time of growth in the firm's development," said Jarka Dearstyne, account manager at WDR.
According to Dale Mullin, CPA, her supervisor at WDR, "Jarka's strong financial background will bring sophisticated financial planning to the firm and enable WDR to expand into new areas of business."
Introducing Wendy Gifford
We are pleased to announce the addition of Wendy L. Gifford to our team as staff accountant. Wendy is working toward her designation as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York, and will be responsible for providing accounting, tax and auditing services to WDR clients.
"We are fortunate to hire top talent in the current market," said managing partner, Paul Dowen. "Wendy's passion for the business and exceptional work ethic is a living example of the true wisdom WDR brings to clients. With Wendy's focus on value and service, WDR is better prepared to meet the needs of our clients through these tough economic times."
Wendy has four years of accounting experience, including comprehensive capabilities in both public and private client engagements. Prior to working for WDR, Gifford was a Staff Accountant for a local accounting firm, where she prepared individual and business tax returns as well as performed audits for school districts and municipalities. Wendy also brings a background in finance and purchasing from her prior working experience in the private sector.
"I am always fascinated how numbers help tell complex stories and give insight into a business or person," said Wendy L. Gifford. "With my background, education and love for numbers, I join an amazing team at WDR that offers me the opportunity to build relationships with exceptional clients and remain active in the local community. WDR is a great fit for me."
Congratulations to John Roberts on Becoming our Newest CPA!
We are pleased to announce that John D. Roberts has passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination, and has officially earned his designation as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from the State of New York.
"We are thrilled to reintroduce John as a CPA to our clients," said Managing Partner Paul Dowen of WDR. "Our clients deserve only the best and brightest in a firm. Our service and expertise continues to grow everyday so we are providing just that."
According to the New York State Society of CPAs, all CPAs are accountants, but all accountants are not CPAs. CPAs are distinguished from other accountants by stringent state and licensing requirements, including education, examination, and experience. They must adhere to a strict code of professional ethics that the public recognizes and respects highly. CPAs are among the most extensively trained and experienced tax advisors.
John is a senior accountant at WDR. He has been practicing public accounting for three years with prior experience in private accounting. Certification in the field of public accounting gives Roberts the tools and knowledge to provide auditing and accounting services to a vast number of WDR clients.
Robert's dedication to his clients coupled with his work ethic has helped him get to where he is today. "Having the CPA credential is a symbol of trust and professionalism in the business world," said Roberts. "I am proud of my accomplishment and look forward to putting my knowledge to use helping businesses in the region achieve success."
ARCC 2008 Professional Business of the Year Award:
Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli LLP
Commitment to the Region:
The firm is supportive of local community organizations by providing much time each year for partners and staff to volunteer, fund raise and serve on boards of directors for Crandall Public Library, Rotary, Lions Club, World Awareness Children's Museum, Kiwanis and U.S.A. Dance.
Staying Power:
WDR formed in April 2006 as the result of the merger of two long-standing CPA firms: Edwards, Williams, McManus & Ricciardelli, PC (established 1968); and Whittemore, Dowen & Kilburn, LLP (founded 1994).
Their approach to diversity involves hiring and promoting staff from various backgrounds. They are one of the few, and first, CPA firms in the area to welcome a woman partner in 1979. WDR currently boasts 30 staff, including five partners and 19 CPAs, and 2,000 clients. Future plans call for expanding into Saratoga.
Work Place Innovation:
Staff enjoys flexible work schedules due to their web-based technology. The firm provides all continuing education costs within the accounting profession.
WDR believe strongly in the environment and technology. They recycle and use paperless computer programs for both audits and taxes, plus additional services wherever possible.
Chamber Involvement:
A staff person recently graduated from the Leadership Adirondack Program, and partner Phil Whittemore served on the ARCC Board of Directors and as Treasurer for many years.
