FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2014
Media Contacts: Dan Artman, Plante Moran, 248.223.3469, cell: 313.505.1961, Dan.Artman@plantemoran.com; Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications, 586.817.8414, Barbara@eafocus.com
Southfield, Mich. — Plante Moran, one of the nation’s largest public accounting and business advisory firms, announces its annual spring webinar series begins April 2. The 16 webinars cover a wide range of topics including tax, technology, employee benefits consulting, franchises, government, health care, higher education, K-12 education, not-for-profit, manufacturing, real estate and construction and business services.
There is no charge to participate in the webinars, which are approved for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit and are part of an ongoing series of educational webinars launched by Plante Moran in 2009. Specifically, a few of the spring webinars include:
The Next Wave of FATCA Is Coming: Are You Prepared?
Tuesday, April 29; 2-3 p.m. EDT
As the implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) continues, beginning July 1, any payment of U.S. source income to a non-U.S. entity recipient will be subject to a 30 percent withholding tax. Many previously obtained forms W-8BEN will become invalid and must be replaced with the new form W-8BEN-E. Therefore, any documentation failures discovered by the IRS likely will result in assessment of withholding tax, interest, and penalties against the withholding agent.
During this webinar, Plante Moran experts will educate internationally active organizations about the continued implementation of FATCA and how to prepare to ensure compliance and avoid penalties. At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will:
• Identify the ins and outs of FATCA and how they apply to internationally active organizations
• Distinguish the four-step process to comply with FATCA
Cyber Security — What You Don’t Know Could Hurt You
Tuesday, May 6; 10-11 a.m. EDT
In an ideal world, an organization would know if it has been targeted for a cyber-attack, the way the attack would occur and the associated risks. The reality is that new technologies lead to both evolved and new threats — all becoming increasingly hostile. No one can predict when confidential information like customer data and organizational intelligence will be compromised and to what extent, which is why organizations continue to identify cyber security as a top challenge.
During this webinar, Plante Moran experts will discuss the myriad virtual connecting points, how these allow for greater vulnerabilities and what organizations can do to protect themselves from a cyber-threat. At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
• Identify emerging threats and identify risks
• Determine potential risk level
• Develop or improve a defensive strategy
• Articulate best practices on ensuring organizationwide adoption
All Quiet on the Tax Front? Just Add SALT
Wednesday, May 7; 2–3 p.m. EDT
The one thing you can count on with tax is change. Looking back over the last year and looking forward into the remainder of 2014, there are a variety of developments in the state and local tax (SALT) arena worth paying attention to, including the return of the due process clause as it relates to nexus. Are you prepared?
During this webinar, Plante Moran experts will discuss these changes and other hot-button issues. At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• Identify three current developments occurring in the state and local tax (SALT) arenas.
• Identify developing SALT trends, including the return of the due process clause as it relates to nexus.
Staying the Course: Monitoring Your Not-for-Profit Organization’s Investment Portfolio
Wednesday, May 21; 2-3 p.m. EDT
After an investment strategy has been tailored to the unique mission and goals of a not-for-profit organization, the organization needs to plan how it will actively supervise and monitor its investment portfolio to ensure it stays on track.
During this webinar, Plante Moran experts will discuss the importance of reviewing performance, interpreting results and identifying adjustments needed to maintain performance and manage risk. At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
• Identify the importance of goal-based performance reviews and initiate portfolio adjustments when appropriate.
• Predict how spending policy, fundraising, and capital projects can affect the process.
• Establish a reliable monitoring process through verification and documentation of performance results relative to benchmarks and guidelines.
• Recognize the importance of reviewing the impact of recent market activity for purposes of rebalancing the portfolio, and when to revisit and adjust an investment strategy.
To register for the Plante Moran webinars and/or to view the entire spring webinar series, please visit www.webinars.plantemoran.com.
About Plante Moran
Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2014, Plante Moran (www.plantemoran.com) is one of the country’s largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms, providing clients with tax, audit, risk management, financial, technology, business consulting and wealth management services. Plante Moran has 22 offices and a staff of more than 2,000 professionals throughout Michigan, Ohio and Illinois, with international offices in Shanghai; Monterrey, Mexico; and Mumbai, India. Plante Moran has been recognized by a number of organizations, including FORTUNE magazine, as one of the country’s best places to work.
