SingerLewak
“SingerLewak then started on forms that would cover past tax periods and we have now received a $170,000 refund from the IRS…What a huge difference in service.”
Thomas Acoustics
“We began working with SingerLewak in 1998 as our business was beginning to develop. At the beginning, SingerLewak was integral in establishing internal systems with which to track our progress and manage our expenses… In many ways, SingerLewak has aided in the growth of Griffcon, Inc.”
Griffcon, Inc.
“Over the years we have experienced many of the same issues other businesses deal with in which an accountant is invaluable. I highly recommend SingerLewak…for over 10 years SingerLewak delivered timely financial and tax advice. You will find SingerLewak to be responsive, knowledgeable and professional.”
Kemmis Equipment
“I especially think of SingerLewak when an account is in desperate need of guidance and financial advice as they have always met and exceeded my expectations on the more challenging accounts.”
Safeco/First National Insurance Company
Construction
Based on a solid foundation of construction industry experience, SingerLewak's Construction Industry Group fully understands contract accounting, construction reporting and contractor tax issues. You can rely upon our well-rounded business acumen developed from the over 140 years of combined experience at the partner level, several of whom almost exclusively in the construction industry.
In addition to our CPA credentials, many of our construction professionals have earned the Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) designation. The CCIFP designation is a credential to establish and promote the highest standards of construction financial management through proficient demonstration of reporting, taxation, surety and construction industry specific information. Construction industry professionals are required to obtain a minimum of 40 hours each year of continuing professional education, with many of these hours focused on changing trends in the construction industry. As a result, we are on top of the ever-changing landscape of our construction industry client businesses.
Our Success Stories are all about how our professionals help our clients. Click on the links to read how we assist clients with business transition, in-house training, tax filing methodology, assist clients with software selection, as well as assist them with their recruiting needs.
- Efficient, timely and quality audits, reviews and compilations to comply with the requirements of bonding companies and bank
- Corporate and personal tax planning
- Pre-qualification reports for various state and local regulatory agencies
- Assistance with contractors in acquiring bank and surety credit
- Review of accounting functions and internal controls
- Guidance to implement, refine and improve financial or job-cost systems
- Guidance to define and execute short-term and long-term business goals and strategies
- Assistance in succession planning
- Identifying tax credits and incentives
- Cost segregation studies
SingerLewak Success Stories
Over the next decade, it is widely accepted the transfer of business ownership will continue to accelerate as baby boomers transition into retirement. The traditional due dates don’t exist for such a transition and thus commonly deferred until some later time or not executed efficiently (or ever). We believe the planning for such a transition is extremely important and should be discussed on an on-going basis. Recently, we assisted a closely held subcontractor in successfully transferring ownership from one generation to the next in a tax efficient manner. The process is just that, a process which involved working closely with the selling stockholder, buying stockholders, legal counsel, estate attorneys, bankers and the surety/bonding agent to ensure the transaction was well communicated and thought out between the business partners. The transition strategies are not a one size fits all. We can provide our insight and experience as to what may work for you.
While our staff are educated in the field of accounting and as much as we love debits and credits, we believe that training your in-house accounting personnel through sharing of best practices, templates and being available for questions is far more valuable in the long-run. In one situation, we were retained by a manufacturing contractor wherein their CPA would come in monthly to “close the books”. The Company had an accountant on staff handling most of the duties, but relied on the CPA to finalize the closing. The CPA made the month end entries, but the accountant never understood what was being done and further the entries were never recorded on the internal books and records. We saw a different approach after determining the accountant was willing and able to learn. We customized a closing checklist, trained the individual and over a period of successful closes; we took off the training wheels. This has enabled management to generate its own financial reports without relying upon third parties enabling them to be quicker to plan for, and react to, the ever changing environment.
Rectifying Tax Filing Methodology
COMING SOON
Assistance With Software Selection
Our Construction Industry Group professionals are familiar with many of the general ledger/job cost packages on the market today. Our guidance is based on our knowledge and understanding of the various packages strengths and weaknesses. Although no software package will perfectly meet all of a companies' needs, you can be assured that through our experience, network of similarly situated clients and contacts throughout the software community you will not be alone as you embark upon a systems conversion. Over the years, we have successfully guided our contractors to viable options to serve their information and reporting needs. In addition, we have been available to assist in re-engineering their reporting functions and design as the new system is being implemented. At SingerLewak, we have intentionally not represented any particular software package or group so you can be assured that our recommendations and references to software packages are unbiased. Our clients have enjoyed direct discounts from our unaffiliated vendor strategic alliances that we have in place due to our non-financial relationships with those vendors.
At SingerLewak, one of our greatest client concentrations is within the construction industry. As a result, our Construction Industry Group has grown to offer a variety of services to better serve our contractors. In addition to being able to source Finance and Accounting professionals in your industry (CFOs, Controllers, Accounting Clerks, etc.), we also have the ability to source operations side personnel including Project Managers, Field Superintendents, Project Engineers, Estimators, etc .
One of our general contractors was in a rapid growth mode and was in need of both office and field personnel. Over an 18 month period we sourced approximately 25 people to help our client capitalize on the growth opportunities they were generating.
Within this area we are also well versed in performing a "Gap Analysis" of your construction company. We help to create a functional organization chart which includes not only job titles, but descriptions of the roles as well. We interview key people throughout your organization to provide better structure and organize roles and responsibilities to facilitate effectiveness and efficiency. We can help you build a better organization to realize opportunities today and in the future. Once complete, we can utilize our traditional recruiting capabilities to populate the functional organization chart as needed.
Our Team of Professionals Actively Participates in Industry-Related Organizations to Stay On Top of the Current Trends Within The Construction Industry Including:
© Copyright 2013 SingerLewak. All Rights Reserved.
SingerLewak LLP is an independent member firm of PrimeGlobal, a worldwide association of independent accounting firms and business advisors.
PrimeGlobal does not and cannot offer any professional services to clients.
Each independent member of PrimeGlobal is a separate firm and an independent legal entity.
PrimeGlobal is not a partnership and independent member firms are not acting as agents ofPrimeGlobal or other independent member firms.