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With the increased use of digital devices, the number of cyberattacks has steadily risen.

Many of us have our faces stuck on screens most of the day. You are either working at a computer, picking up a cell phone to answer email, cruising through social media, or just looking at notifications when you hear that special ding.

It feels like two or three times a day, there is a report in the media about a company admitting its data was breached and customer information, including passwords, was stolen.

Even large firms or companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Target have admitted to breaches.

The truth is, no organization is immune from these attacks.

What most people need to be told is that you need to protect yourself not only by paying attention, but by carefully managing your various passwords.

We all get emails from UPS, Walmart, Costco and other big retailers, airlines or travel resorts, but are they real?

Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to get your information, steal money or steal your identity. They will create emails that look like they are from your bank, the IRS, a store you shop at, coworkers, relatives, or friends.

These emails will contain links they want you to click so you can enter your information. Unfortunately, once you do that, the damage is done.

A new year ushers in many changes for the Internal Revenue Service, but one massive problem will not go away – backlogs.

While the IRS still must deal with a backlog of mail and a backed-up phone system that leaves taxpayers and practitioners on hold and frequently drops the call, changes are in the works. Among them are a potential new commissioner (Danny Werfel was nominated for the role in November 2022) and an increased budget that will give the IRS billions of dollars to spend, although it has less than two months left to develop a spending plan.

On Dec. 29, the Internal Revenue Service issued the 2023 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

The Internal Revenue Service announced in late April Health Savings Accounts (HSA) limit for 2023.

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was established under the CARES Act in March 2020 to provide a refundable employment tax credit to help businesses with the cost of payroll and to help keep people employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. If your business qualifies, the ERC can potentially be a very large influx of cash to help you continue to run a successful business.

Cleveland Jewish News recently named Zinner & Co. Partner Susan Krantz, CPA, CGMA, one of 18 Difference Makers for 2022. 

Krantz joined Zinner & Co. in 1990 and was named a partner in 1999. She possesses over 30 years of experience in audit and assurance. 

 $1.2 billion in penalties will be refunded to 1.6 million taxpayers

In late August, the Internal Revenue Service announced on its website that it had issued Notice 2022-36, which will provide penalty relief to most taxpayers who filed certain 2019 or 2020 tax returns late.