Wipfli LLP - CPAs and Consultants
Affiliates Contact Us Careers Events About Wipfli
Subscribe
Dealerships Archive
11/1/2007
Tips for Tracking Automobile Expenses
2/1/2006
IRS Creates Safe Harbor for Heavy Equipment Dealers
The safe harbor is similar to the one the IRS provided to the auto dealer industry a few years ago.
9/1/2005
Extra Tax Applies to Some Heavy-Duty Pickups
The IRS has determined that certain heavy-duty pickup trucks should be classified as tractors, making triggering an additional sales tax.
9/1/2005
When Owner Retires, Employee Stock Ownership Can Ease Transition
ESOPs can smooth the transition when an owner retires - and provide unique tax breaks as well.
9/1/2005
IRS Steps Up Auto Dealership Enforcement
In recent years, the IRS has investigated hundreds of dealerships for tax-code infractions -- especially Form 8300 cash-payment reporting violations.
9/1/2005
Like-Kind Exchanges Provide Greater Flexibility
A new IRS ruling facilitates deferred like-kind exchanges of properties with liabilities that span two tax years.
9/1/2005
Tax Tips for Dealerships that Provide Financing, Extended Warranties
If your dealership offers vehicle financing or extended service contracts, you should be aware of a few important tax issues.
6/1/2005
Tracking Productivity and Efficiency
Many service and body shops lose hundreds of thousands of dollars each year by failing to track these two metrics.
6/1/2005
Top 10 OSHA Violations for Dealerships
Just because you’ve never been visited by an OSHA inspector doesn’t mean you never will. Here are some common violations.
6/1/2005
Cost Control: Get Started with These Questions
Successful cost control starts with an item-by-item analysis of every expense in your store: Is it wasteful, unnecessary, or inefficient?
5/1/2005
Accounting Fraud: Don't Be a Victim
If these recent examples sound anything like your dealership, you may already have been a victim of internal theft.
4/1/2005
A Win-Win Exit Strategy for C Corporations
An often-overlooked alternative for structuring a dealership sale can mitigate the drawbacks of the two most common options.
4/1/2005
Form 8300 Fraud on the Rise
Scams that aim to skirt the reporting requirements for large cash payments to dealerships have increased - and the IRS has taken note.
4/1/2005
Pay for Performance: The Basics of a Good Plan
A well-designed pay-for-performance system can boost the bottom line of nearly any dealership - but careful preparation is critical.
3/1/2005
Audit-Proofing Your Auto Dealership
The audit technique guide, issued by the IRS, should be utilized by auto dealers to identify areas in which examiners will focus in an audit.
2/1/2005
What's Your Dealership Worth?Guidelines to Setting a Price
When considering the sale of a dealership, you can obtain a strong sense of what the total price should be by valuing the various assets of the business.
1/1/2005
Maximize Labor Sales: Managing Productive Capacity and Forecasts
Are you accurately measuring and forecasting your productive capacity? Many dealerships fail to conduct necessary in-depth analyses, often resulting in false forecasts. In fact, labor sales reports may not reveal the entire picture; what could appear to be a great month, in reality may not be cause for much celebration.
12/1/2004
Controlling Insurance Costs
As an industry, automobile dealerships have been among those hardest hit by the broad increase in insurance cost. Yet members of this industry have virtually no experience in developing comprehensive loss prevention programs and practices.
6/1/2004
Getting the Most Out of CRM
CRM can offer a number of benefits to dealers that seek to increase both customer loyalty and profitability.
6/1/2004
Dealers Can’t Afford to Ignore Fraud Risks
According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, small businesses with less than 100 employees, including many auto dealerships, are most vulnerable.
5/1/2004
Selling the Dealership to Your Children
If you’re contemplating this avenue of succession planning, a number of important factors should be considered.
5/1/2004
The True Measure of Parts Department Profitability
In addition to analyzing overall profitability, auto dealerships should take the time to regularly examine the profitability of individual departments.
5/1/2004
Developing Employee Policies and Procedures
Handbooks describe the employee benefits a company provides to its employees.
5/1/2004
Complying With Federal Privacy Regulations
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) doesn’t apply to information obtained from an individual interested in a vehicle for commercial or business use.