B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Tax tips for year-end charitable giving

As Thanksgiving and Christmas draw near, many people think about making charitable donations – for both altruistic and tax reasons. For people who don’t take the standard deduction on the 10-40 form but itemize instead, items like donations to charities can help reduce the amount of money you owe to the government. So, if you’re looking to shave a little off the amount of tax the IRS will collect, there are a few important things to keep in mind. Make a qualified gift. Make sure the organization you’re giving to

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B2B Stories

Local tourism gets back on track in 2022

Bennish Brown is tired of talking about 2019 because much of what has happened in the local tourism industry in 2022 has been compared to that year. On Tuesday, Brown, CEO of Destination Augusta (in the above photo), along with Augusta Sports Council CEO, Michelle Pippin, presented highlights of the local tourism and hospitality industries at Experience Augusta: The Annual Tourism Celebration Event. “I want to move beyond 2019, but it provides important benchmarks,” he said. This is the first year the event has been held in three years. Brown

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B2B Stories

Social Security cost of living adjustment is the biggest in over 40 years

Americans drawing money from Social Security received some good news for 2023 with a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) designed to keep up with inflation. The Social Security Administration (SAA) announced last month that it would implement an increase in benefits of 8.7 percent. The new rate will go into effect in January. For many recipients, this will amount to a monthly addition of $140-150. The SAA distributes funds to retired senior citizens, as well as to those who are disabled and to widows, widowers, and children of deceased workers. The 8.7

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Local employment remains below pre-pandemic levels

Employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area inched up by 200 jobs in September to stand at 244,400, but employment locally remains below pre-pandemic levels. With little change in total employment, it is not surprising that there was little change in employment in many industries. Industries seeing a decline in employment include leisure and hospitality with a decline of 600 jobs and professional and business services falling by 1,325. There was an improvement in other labor market indicators with average weekly earnings increasing at 8.5 percent on an annual basis

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B2B Stories

Thoughts from the General: Managing in the electronic world

In the 4th edition of the book Rules and Tools for Leaders, there is a chapter that describes the opportunities and challenges of the electronic workspace. Here are a few examples that may be helpful. Batching Batch your activities. Reserve one hour each morning and two hours each afternoon to focus totally on electronic and telephone interactions. Let your colleagues, clients, and friends know that you will be available electronically from 10 to 11 and from 3 to 5. Also, let them know that you will not be available electronically

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B2B Podcasting

Free Access: Hiring the right people takes time

Hiring the right people can be a challenge. Darin Myers of The Alternate Board (TAB) tells Neil Gordon that sometimes it takes some out-of-the-box thinking and taking your time to find the best people for the job.

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Inflation creates a double whammy for nonprofits

  Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the impact of inflation on nonprofit organizations. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: With inflation still at a 40-year high, many companies are facing increased costs that will probably be passed on to customers through higher prices. But what is the impact of inflation on nonprofits that rely on donations and grants? Rick: It’s a double whammy for them.

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