BE Informed
BE Informed brings practical accounting, tax, audit, and consulting insights directly to business owners and finance professionals. Hosted by Brown Edwards, CPA, each episode offers clear, accessible guidance on essential financial topics that impact your business. From explaining tax regulations to discussing effective financial management strategies, we provide straightforward advice to support your decision-making.
All Episodes
Personal Property Tax 101: What Every Business Needs to Track
In this episode of SALTy Bits, Jared Brown (Partner, Bristol, TN office) sits down with Kim Bell, Senior Manager in the Lynchburg office and member of the SALT team, to break down the often-overlooked world of personal property tax reporting. They cover what qualifies as personal property (tangible business assets like computers, phones, and furniture) versus intangible assets like software, and clarify how the IRS's $2,500 de minimis election affects income tax reporting but not personal property tax returns. Kim shares practical tips for tracking assets — including using barcode software or a simple Excel spreadsheet — and stresses the importance of recording purchase date, cost, and location for each asset, especially for businesses with multiple locations. They also discuss filing deadlines (typically January through March), extension policies, and billing cycles. The takeaway: good record-keeping and accurate location tracking are key to staying on top of personal property tax obligations.
Meet the Team: Brown Edwards Audit Managers & Seniors on Benefit Plan Audits
In this episode of BE Informed, join me, Brittany Quinn, as I introduce you to the talented audit managers and seniors from Brown Edwards who specialize in employee benefit plan audits. You'll hear from Dean, Kaitlyn, Megan, Rebecca, and Shannon as they discuss their roles, share insights on common audit findings, and outline what clients can expect when collaborating with them. Our team prides itself on delivering quality and trust while ensuring compliance with industry standards. Tune in to learn how we can help you navigate the complexities of benefit plan audits and enhance your organization's financial health. If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to share and subscribe for more valuable insights!Audit Readiness: How to Set Your Employee Benefit Plan Audit Up for Success
In this episode of the Brown Edwards Benefits Buzz Podcast, host Brittany Quinn, audit partner at Brown Edwards, sits down with EBP audit professionals Jessica Hite and Shannon Cook to discuss how plan sponsors can prepare for a smoother, less stressful audit experience. Together, they break down the key drivers of audit success — from proactive communication and early coordination with TPAs, to organizing core documentation like census data, payroll reports, and compliance testing results. Whether you're heading into your first audit or looking to refine your process, this episode offers practical, experience-backed advice for building an audit-ready approach that pays off year after year.
Eligibility and Enrollment Errors: How They Happen and How to Prevent Them
In this episode of the Brown Edwards Benefits Buzz podcast, host Brittany Quinn, audit partner at Brown Edwards, is joined by Katelyn Tolliver to discuss one of the most common — and preventable — compliance pitfalls facing employee benefit plans: eligibility and enrollment errors. Together, they break down how these errors occur across 401(k)s, ESOPs, and health and welfare plans, walking through real-world examples like incorrect service calculations, missed auto-enrollment settings, HR and payroll miscommunication, and TPA transitions gone wrong. They also cover why these errors matter from a compliance, financial, and employee trust standpoint, and share practical prevention strategies. Plus, they explain what plan sponsors should do if an error is discovered, including how the IRS's EPCRS correction program and the SECURE 2.0 Act's expanded self-correction provisions can help.