Olsen Thielen Advisor Blog
- July 7, 2016
It’s no secret that a major key to success for nonprofit organizations lies with the strength of its volunteer board of directors. Board engagement is a practice that many nonprofit entities both strive for and struggle to maintain.
- June 27, 2016
We see many organizations requesting SOC reports from their business partners due to a corporate compliance mandate. It appears to be a default company request even though the business relationship may not fit the purpose and scope of a SOC report.
- June 21, 2016
Olsen Thielen was founded on the belief that personal attention, trusted advice, and quality service are the key elements to helping our clients succeed. Time and again, business owners and individuals have taken Olsen Thielen professionals into their confidence – to gain insight on business challenges beyond just tax returns
- June 21, 2016
Would you buy a new car if the only vehicle on the market was a BMW? How often would you go out to eat if the only menu item available was filet mignon?
- November 19, 2015
If you are a not-for-profit organization you may be wondering what is the big deal surrounding data security? Aren’t data breaches confined to the big companies like Target, Home Depot, and Sony? Why would our mission-oriented not-for-profit that helps others be a target of an attack? The reason not-for-profits are
- November 5, 2015
It can be easy for us to put off key estate planning issues but often waiting until an unforeseen event like a family death or sickness can prove too late. Estate planning helps to preserve the assets you worked hard to accumulate during your life and make sure they go
- November 5, 2015
A trust can help you pass wealth efficiently and privately to your heirs. Perhaps the most powerful way to use a trust is to ensure that your heirs have timely access to your assets. When you transfer your assets to your beneficiaries through a Will, your estate is settled through
- October 14, 2015
Small businesses are always on the lookout for what can differentiate them in the marketplace, but are they overlooking a common business tool? Information technology (IT) is often thought of as the tool used for general back office functions and office employee productivity. Without these basic functions, businesses would come
- October 5, 2015
There are ten fundamental information security practices that should be followed in every organization: Think Right, Get Help, Get Involved, Lead, Plan, Set Goals, Measure, Seek, Encourage and Prepare. Some of these things you can delegate to others, and some of these thing you can’t. As CEO you need to
- October 5, 2015
Every day there are tens of thousands of new threats created, and most of them will be delivered to your employees in the form of an innocent looking email, a shared file, or an infected website. A simple click of their mouse will invite it in to your network. So
- August 17, 2015
As economic conditions have improved and the number of baby-boomers ready for retirement has grown, we have seen a dramatic increase in the sale of private companies here in Minnesota and in the United States.
- June 20, 2015
Once the tax filing season is over doesn't mean that tax scams have ended. Taxpayers face the threat of tax scams at any time because it is highly profitable for fraudsters year round. IRS phone scams, in particular, can be carried out any time of the year.
- June 20, 2015
An important internal control related to cash disbursements can include requiring two authorized signatures on all company checks generally over a specific amount that has been set by management or the board directors. By requiring two signatures, the company is verifying that both signers agree that the payment is proper
- February 9, 2015
Form 990 is the annual information return filed by tax-exempt organizations with the Internal Revenue Service, and provides a wealth of information to the IRS and to readers of the return. Form 990 is a public document, meaning anyone can ask to see your association’s 990, and you are required