As the exclusive licensed provider in Cuyahoga County, Zinner & Co. recently presented the Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP) course to area professionals working in or with the not-for-profit industry.
The program was made possible by Partner Sue Krantz, who is a member of the Executive Committee of Nonprofit CPAs through The Rainmaker Alliance, a national association management company for accounting firms.
CNAP, the only nationally recognized certification program for nonprofi
t accounting professionals, earns high accolades from graduates for its comprehensive curriculum and is recognized as the gold standard training for nonprofit financial professionals. Participants attended the multi-day course followed by a comprehensive exam. Upon passing, the attendee is awarded the CNAP designation.
In my youth, I was fascinated by all things weird and wonderful. The natural wonders of the world, such as the Grand Canyon or Aurora Borealis, were impressive for their scale and beauty. However, the man-made wonders were impressive not only for their scale and beauty but also for the fact that they sprung from the minds of men and made real through years of hard work. 
I was in awe and fueled my interests through the joy of reading. I always held a love for books and looked forward to trips to the local library, so I could find an armful of books that I could read and fill my book log during the annual summer reading program.
Students will be headed off to college within the next few months, so now is an opportune time to start strategizing 529 college savings plan withdraws to help cover upcoming education expenses. Contrary to what some may think, not all withdrawals are tax-free. Therefore, it is important to understand the basics of 529 plan distributions in order to avoid paying unwanted federal income tax.
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This important program will not only help non-accountants learn to make sense of financial statements but will also help those in the accounting field understand how nonprofit accounting is different. 
“We are thrilled to participate in this annual event. In addition to our deep-rooted spirit of philanthropy, we also work to help others outside the firm learn about and better understand this chronic disorder,” said Partner Sue Krantz, CPA. 
Epilepsy affects about 2.3 million adults and 467,000 children 0-17 years of age in the United States, more than Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy combined. Of the major chronic medical conditions, epilepsy is among the least understood even though 1 in 3 adults knows someone with the disorder.
“Employees have been very creative with their show of support.
In addition to the office adorned with purple flowers and decorations, many made a donation to wear purple clothing throughout the week; some went as far as having purple nail polish, purple glasses and purple tennis shoes,” Krantz added. 
“Our Firm brought in lunch from California Pizza Kitchen on the day where they donated a portion of their sales back to the Epilepsy Association.” The week concluded with a purple-themed basket raffle and purple snacks and treats.
If you are a professional fundraiser or volunteer for an organization, this article is a must-read to help you better understand the difference between deferred and temporarily restricted revenue.
Many of our not-for-profit clients frequently ask me to explain when funding is considered deferred revenue and when is it considered temporarily restricted revenue. This area can be confusing, as the reporting and accounting implications can vary greatly.
Time Running Out to Claim $950 Million in Refunds for 2012 Tax Returns
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