Gray, Gray & Gray enjoys offering valuable advice and guidance through our series of webinars that focus on important issues that affect you and your business.
Managing Your Business Through the Covid-19 Crisis
WEBINAR #10: Getting Back to Business as (Not) Usual
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020
1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
Nobody can say for sure how quickly the economy will bounce back or what factors will drive the recovery. But there is no doubt that the way we work will be changing in a significant way, presenting new challenges for those managing an organization.
Gray, Gray & Gray’s Director of Strategic Planning, Bryan Pearce, provides a look at how business leaders will need to adapt in the months ahead – from full or partial remote work as the way of the future, to managing a remote workforce, the impact of technology on business operations, business finance in transition, seizing opportunities, and more. Joining Bryan for this important discussion are Bobby Garret, Director of IT at Gray, Gray & Gray, and SPECIAL GUEST Ahmed Fadili, VP, Managed IT Services at Focus Technology, to discuss overcoming the challenges of the remote working environment and changing business landscape from an IT perspective.
While many organizations were plunged into virtual business settings during the pandemic shutdown, some were prepared and others were not. Now as the economy emerges it is becoming apparent that – at some level or another – conducting business virtually is here to stay. Bobby and Ahmed will share a few remote work lessons learned as well as cloud technology and tools, and managed IT services for supporting your workforce, customers, and overall business operations in the new normal.
Be sure you are prepared to lead your organization into the new business environment by learning the best practices and new techniques to take you there. Register for this webinar by clicking below.
“Fueling Your Future” Webinar Series
WEBINAR #1: Energy Companies Plan for What Comes Next
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020
1:00-2:00pm ET
The outlook for heating oil and propane companies in the COVID-19 world remains fluid. How are you planning to manage what comes next?
Join Gray, Gray & Gray Partner Joe Ciccarello, CPA, MST, and Director/Energy Practice Chair Marty Kirshner, CPA, MSA, along with Warm Thoughts Communications President Rich Goldberg and VP of Marketing Services Ben Gutkin, for this special one-hour joint webinar as we review important factors that should impact your plans now. Some of the key factors we’ll cover include:
- Latest update on PPP changes and their implications.
- Innovative strategies for maximizing cash flow and revenue generation from installations, budget enrollments, shifting to autopay, margin enhancement and potential fees.
- Understanding how consumer buying behavior has changed, what to expect this summer and fall, and how your promotional strategy needs to adapt.
- How should potential COVID-19-related costs be factored into your budget projections, and implications for target margins on pricing programs which many of you are starting to offer?
- And more!
Start preparing now for what may lie ahead. Register today for this must-attend session!
Managing Your Business Through the Covid-19 Crisis
WEBINAR #11: Reprieve! Making the Most of the PPP Flexibility Act
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020
1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
The Small Business Administration’s tight restrictions on Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) timing and loan allocation have been significantly eased by the recently enacted PPP Flexibility Act. Now your challenge is to understand the new rules and readjust your spending plans accordingly. This free webinar will help you gain a better comprehension of the new regulations in order to make the most of your PPP loan.
Gray, Gray & Gray’s Jim DeLeo, Kelly Berardi, Brad Carlson and Derek Rawls will explain the new guidelines and offer practical advice on how to reallocate PPP funds to potentially maximize value for your business within the new loan forgiveness constraints. Among the topics to be covered in this one-hour webinar:
- Expansion of the covered period from 8 weeks to 24 weeks
- Increase of non-payroll spending from 25% to 40%
- “Bright line” on payroll spending for loan forgiveness
- Removal of loan forgiveness limits for non-returning employees
- Allowance of a separate payroll tax deferral, currently prohibited to prevent “double dipping”
- Extension of deadline for loan forgiveness application from six month to 10 months
Don’t make the mistake of thinking the new PPP repayment rules will make things simpler. It is more important than ever to be familiar with the guidelines to make PPP work for you. Join us on June 15 to learn how.
“Fueling Your Future” Webinar Series
WEBINAR #2: The New Approach to Succession Planning
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020
1:00-2:00pm ET
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic disruption has had a broad impact across all industries, including energy marketers. The impact extends to a key management component for many fuel oil and propane retailers: succession planning. How can you plan for a future that is unpredictable? What effect will the financial crisis have on business transition to the next generation, to employees or to an outside party? How should you account for pressing environmental demands? How will you finance the transition? Are there alternatives that should be considered? This special panel webinar is designed to provide advice and guidance on these issues from the energy industry’s leading experts on fuel oil and propane company management. Join Gray, Gray & Gray’s Marty Kirshner and Joe Ciccarello, Federated Insurance’s Bob Butkus, and Robinson & Cole’s Earl Phillips and Brian Freeman as they tackle these pressing concerns.
Watch your email for announcement of more upcoming webinars.
In case you missed or would like a refresher on the information shared in the previous webinars in the series “Managing Your Business Through the COVID-19 Crisis”, now you can access the recordings by clicking the links below.
WEBINAR #1: STEPS TO TAKE RIGHT NOW TO SUSTAIN YOUR BUSINESS
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2020
Business management authorities Jim DeLeo, Bryan Pearce and Derrick Rebello from Gray, Gray & Gray share practical advice on what to do right now to help better position your business to survive the current disruption, including:
- Managing customer expectations
- Cash flow management and forecasting
- Accessing working capital
- Personnel management
- Preserving your supply chain – vendor relations
- Banks, loans and leases
- Government programs – SBA and Mass. small business loans
- Disaster insurance
WEBINAR #2: Tax Relief, HR Issues, & Cybersecurity Concerns
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020
Presented by members of Gray, Gray & Gray’s Human Resources, Tax and IT Leadership
- Managing Your People
- Leadership
- Remote work opportunities and issues
- Alternatives to layoffs
- Unemployment compensation
- Taxes
- Extension of payment deadlines
- Tax relief programs planned and in place
- Strategic tax planning today
- Cybersecurity Issues
- Remote working options
- Keeping communications open – and secure
- Cybersecurity issues in a remote working environment
WEBINAR #3: Managing Investments In Turbulent Times
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020
Gray, Gray & Gray’s Jim DeLeo, MBA, CPA/MST is joined by private wealth management leaders Dan Romano, CPA, PFS, and Justin Klunder, CFA, from Gray Equity Management, LLC, for a special Q&A session focused on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on individuals and the investment market.
WEBINAR #4: Unwrapping the “CARES Act” Federal Relief Package
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020
On March 27th, the House of Representatives passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion relief and stimulus package to provide economic support to both individuals and businesses during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Now the bill moves to the President for signature. This massive legislation goes far beyond tax policy changes to encompass a wide range of unemployment extensions and enhancements, and direct payments to nearly all Americans. Join Gray, Gray & Gray’s Jim DeLeo, Kelly Berardi, Derek Rawls, and Brad Carlson as they explain the key components of the CARES Act and how it may affect you and your business, including:
- Paycheck protection program
- Individual tax credits
- Refundable payroll tax credit
- Emergency business loans
WEBINAR #5: Get Ready for the “New Normal”
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
The curve is flattening. The number of patients is falling off. New England’s governors are planning to reopen the economy. The end of the crisis is in sight. But what will it look like? How can you prepare yourself and your business for the “new normal” that will emerge from this extraordinary period of stress and sacrifice? We have some ideas for you. During this webinar, Gray, Gray & Gray leaders share a glimpse of what the future might hold, including:
- What will “reopening” the economy entail?
- How can you prepare to resume normal operations? What will “normal” be?
- What will be the drivers of the new economy?
- What structural changes will you need to make: personnel, supply chain, finance?
- Will your customers come back? How should you communicate with them?
- How will you reintegrate your workforce?
- What opportunities for growth will emerge? Should you be actively seeking M&A opportunities?
- What do you need to do to regrow and restore diminished assets?
WEBINAR #6: How to Maximize Debt Forgiveness
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) portion of the CARES Act is providing millions of small businesses with assistance in meeting payroll during the economic disruption resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most beneficial provisions of the PPP loan program is the potential forgiveness of the debt for those businesses who follow Small Business Association (SBA) guidelines for the use of the loan proceeds.
But questions about how much money is available, what the loan proceeds can be used for, and how much might be forgiven have received conflicting and varying answers. The SBA has recently issued new guidance that clears up much of the confusion about who is eligible and what costs are allowable to comply with the loan forgiveness provision of the program. Briefly, PPP loans can be used to pay:
- Payroll costs
- Owner compensation replacement
- Mortgage interest payments
- Rent or lease payments
- Utility payments
Gray, Gray & Gray will be hosting a free webinar to help small businesses who have applied for a PPP loan to better understand their use of the proceeds and potential qualification for loan forgiveness. Learn how to properly manage, verify and document your spending to maximize the amount of the PPP you may have forgiven by the SBA.
WEBINAR #7: Demystifying Key Issues of the Paycheck Protection Program
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020
During this webinar, Gray, Gray & Gray’s Jim DeLeo, Kelly Berardi, Derek Rawls, and Brad Carlson for answers questions about the PPP loan, as well as other federal, state and local crisis funding plans. This session covers topics such as:
- Documenting the use of PPP funds
- Eligibility of payments
- Tax deductibility of wages
- Tax deductibility of overhead expenses
- State and local taxes and the PPP
- How to qualify for potential loan forgiveness
- How PPP affects year end planning
WEBINAR #8: Panel Discussion – Adapting to the “New Normal”
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
During this webinar, Gray, Gray & Gray’s Jim DeLeo, Bryan Pearce and Hank Wolfson, facilitate a panel of forward-thinking business leaders including Thomas Kearns of Dewing Schmid Kearns Architects + Planners, Mark Partin of B/SPOKE and Marcus Wilson of NOBULL, to share common concerns and best practices on what the “new normal” will look like and how they are preparing their own companies to compete.
WEBINAR #9: GETTING YOUR PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS APPLICATION RIGHT
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020
Obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was only the first step toward taking full advantage of this federal government financial support program. Now you need to make sure you maximize the potential loan forgiveness provision by completing your loan forgiveness application as thoroughly and accurately as possible. During this webinar, Gray, Gray & Gray’s Jim DeLeo, Kelly Berardi, Brad Carlson and Derek Rawls go through a step-by-step tutorial on how to apply for PPP loan forgiveness.
Webinar dates, times, topics, and presenters are subject to change with or without notice.
Webinar content is intended for educational purposes only. Webinars provide a brief summary based on our understanding and interpretation of current law. All tax references are to federal tax law only, unless otherwise stated. The information contained in the webinars is general in nature and is based on authorities that are subject to change. It is not, and should not be construed as accounting, legal or tax advice or opinion provided by Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP. The material presented may not be applicable to, or suitable for, specific circumstances or needs, and may require consideration of non-tax factors and tax factors not described herein. Contact Gray, Gray & Gray or another tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information. Changes in tax laws or other factors could affect, on a prospective or retroactive basis the information contained herein; Gray, Gray & Gray assumes no obligation to inform the reader/webinar attendee of any such changes. The material presented is not intended to, and cannot be used to, avoid IRS penalties. This material supports the marketing and promotion of accounting services. Seek advice based on your particular circumstances from independent tax, legal accounting, insurance, investment and financial advisors.