Lesemann CPA PLLC

10/09/2026

Payroll shouldn't keep you up at night.

Between deadlines, tax filings, withholdings, and compliance requirements, there's a lot riding on every payroll run.

We'll handle the details, so you can focus on running your business.

10/06/2026

🤔 Curious about whether scholarships and fellowships are taxed?

Scholarships and fellowships can be tax-free, but it depends on who receives the funds and how they use the money. Generally, a scholarship helps a student pursue their studies, while a fellowship supports an individual pursuing study or research.

According to the IRS, a scholarship or fellowship is tax-free only when both of these conditions are met:

✅ You are a candidate for a degree at an eligible educational institution.
✅ You use the funds to pay qualified education expenses, such as tuition, required fees, books, supplies, and equipment.

➡️ Takeaway: The important words are “qualified education expenses.” How scholarship or fellowship funds are used can determine their tax treatment. Lesemann CPAs can help ensure the appropriate criteria are met and that any taxable amounts are properly reported.

10/02/2026

📚 Enrolled in a higher education program? You may qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit, a nonrefundable tax credit that can help lower your tax bill.

💰 The Lifetime Learning Credit is designed to help offset the cost of qualified tuition and related education expenses. Unlike some education benefits, it isn't limited to undergraduate students or those pursuing a degree. It may also apply to graduate courses and classes taken to acquire or improve job skills.

✅ The IRS offers two primary education credits: The American Opportunity Tax Credit and The Lifetime Learning Credit

✅ Eligibility and the amount you can claim depend on several factors, including your income, enrollment, qualified expenses, and whether another education tax benefit is being claimed for the same expenses.

➡️ Takeaway: Education credits can provide valuable tax savings, but determining which credit applies (and which expenses qualify) is important. Lesemann CPAs can review your situation and help ensure you're taking advantage of the education tax benefits available to you.

09/29/2026

When Good Financial News Comes With Tax Questions

A scholarship is usually cause for celebration. But as a recent Wall Street Journal article points out, that good news can come with a surprisingly complicated question:

Is any of that financial assistance taxable?

✅ The answer can depend on how the money is used. Scholarship funds used for tuition and certain required educational expenses are typically tax-free, while money used for room and board, travel, or other nonqualified expenses may be taxable. Add 529 withdrawals, education tax credits, the kiddie tax, and timing considerations to the equation, and families can quickly find themselves navigating several overlapping tax rules.

✅ Even the tax forms you receive may not provide the complete picture. The Wall Street Journal notes that Form 1098-T reports tuition payments and certain scholarships and grants, but it doesn't necessarily tell families which portions of that assistance are taxable. Outside scholarships and other assistance may require additional recordkeeping as well.

✅ There can also be opportunities for thoughtful tax planning. For families using both scholarships and 529 funds, for example, deciding which funds pay which expenses can potentially affect the tax outcome. Scholarships may be most advantageous when applied to qualified tuition expenses, while 529 funds can cover certain expenses, including eligible room and board for qualifying students, that scholarship dollars generally cannot cover tax-free.

➡️ This is exactly why we believe working with a CPA should mean more than having someone prepare your return in April.

Tax laws are complex, and they continue to change. Our job is to keep up with those rules, understand how they apply to your particular circumstances, and help you see the tax implications of financial decisions that may not initially seem like “tax decisions” at all.

Whether your family is navigating college expenses, managing a business, making investments, or planning for the future, good tax preparation starts long before a return is filed. It starts with understanding the rules, asking the right questions, keeping good records, and making informed decisions along the way.

At Lesemann CPAs, that's the value we want to bring to the relationship.

Information about scholarship taxation and education expenses is referenced from The Wall Street Journal (7/24/26, Laura Saunders) and IRS Publication 970.

09/25/2026

Payroll isn't just an administrative task. It's a compliance responsibility.

Many business owners underestimate how much time and risk are tied to payroll. Between changing tax regulations, filing deadlines, withholdings, and state and federal requirements, one mistake can lead to penalties, frustrated employees, and hours spent fixing problems that could have been avoided.

That's time you could be investing in your clients, your team, or growing your business.

At Lesemann CPAs, we understand because we're business owners ourselves. We help clients take payroll off their plates so they can have confidence it's being handled accurately, on time, and in compliance with ever-changing regulations.

The best payroll system isn't the one that simply pays employees. It's the one that gives business owners their time and peace of mind back.

If payroll is becoming more of a burden than a benefit, let's have a conversation.

09/22/2026

Is payroll the best use of your time?

Payroll isn't just another administrative task; it's one of the easiest ways for a small mistake to become an expensive one.

Between IRS regulations, state requirements, tax filings, changing employment laws, and strict deadlines, payroll has become increasingly complex. Yet many business owners are still trying to squeeze it in between serving clients, managing employees, and growing their business.

At Lesemann CPAs, we believe your focus should be on running your business, not worrying about payroll compliance. As business owners ourselves, we understand the competing priorities you face every day.

When you outsource payroll to our team, you're doing more than handing off a task. You're reducing risk, reclaiming valuable time, and gaining the confidence that payroll is being handled accurately and on time.

That's time you can reinvest in your clients, your employees, and the future of your business.

09/18/2026

The first sign of employee theft often isn't missing cash. It's a pattern.

A receivable that's been written off without a clear explanation. Expenses that slowly creep higher. Cash transactions that don't quite add up. Inventory shrinkage that becomes easier to overlook with each passing month.

Individually, these may not seem significant. Together, they can tell a very different story.

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, organizations lose an estimated 5% of their annual revenue to occupational fraud, and the typical fraud scheme isn't detected for 12 months.

One of the advantages of working with an experienced CPA is having someone who knows what to look for. We don't just prepare financial statements—we help identify unusual trends, ask the right questions, and strengthen the financial controls that protect your business.

The sooner irregularities are identified, the easier they are to address before they become a much larger problem.

09/15/2026

One way to spot employee theft is when another employee blows the whistle.

Take employee complaints seriously as often employees are your eyes and ears when others are leaving early, taking cash payments and then not recording them, or using the supply closet to stock their home.

Learn the other 5 most common ways employees steal on our blog.

Watch for the 6 signs your employees may be stealing from your business.

09/11/2026

Employee theft rarely starts with a grand plan.

More often, it begins with someone under financial pressure who "borrows" a little, intending to pay it back. Then it happens again. And again. Before long, what started as a temporary solution becomes an ongoing pattern.

The question isn't whether your employees are trustworthy. It's whether your business has the right safeguards in place.

Visit our latest blog to learn six common ways employee theft happens and how to protect your business before it becomes an expensive problem.

Watch for the 6 signs your employees may be stealing from your business.

09/08/2026

Is an employee suddenly making purchases that are well beyond their means?

If so, it could signal employee theft.

Simply put, people who steal are itching to spend. If you notice luxury items that seem beyond what an employee can afford, that’s a red flag.

And a good CPA can help spot how they're stealing!