Smith Marion & Co., Inc.

10/01/2026

California nonprofits—will you be at the CalNonprofits Policy Conference in Anaheim on November 17?

With so many of the organizations we serve based here in California, we’d love to see clients, colleagues, and nonprofit leaders join us for a day focused on the issues affecting the sector.

Hannah Baldwin and Melissa Blough will be representing Smith Marion & Co. and are looking forward to connecting with organizations from across the state, hearing what is top of mind, and learning alongside the nonprofit community.

If your organization is thinking about attending, we hope you’ll join us in Anaheim.

09/30/2026

Trust administration comes with a lot of moving pieces, and some of the smallest tasks can create the biggest headaches later.

One example? Waiting too long to collect W-9s.

If a trust pays attorneys, accountants, contractors, consultants, property managers, or other service providers, the information on a W-9 may be needed for year-end tax reporting.

The easiest approach is to collect it before the first payment is made, not months later when tax forms are due.

A simple process can make a big difference:
New vendor → W-9 → payment documentation → organized trust records

Our latest article covers when trustees may need W-9s, why the name on an invoice is not always enough, how to protect sensitive information, and what to review before year-end.

A little organization upfront can save a lot of cleanup later.

09/29/2026

Strong organizations don't just track where their money went, they use financial insights to plan where they're going.

Consistent Level 10 Meetings provide clarity, support growth, and help leaders make more informed decisions.

https://smcocpa.com/

09/23/2026

Will you be at the Tennessee Nonprofit Conference in Franklin, September 29–30?

We’re excited to have Hannah Baldwin and Christen Goertel representing Smith Marion & Co. and connecting with nonprofit leaders from across Tennessee.

Conferences like this are a great opportunity to hear what organizations are navigating, learn from the people doing the work, and build relationships within the nonprofit community.

If you’ll be there, come by and start a conversation with our team.

09/22/2026

At Smith Marion, we know strong financial management is built on consistency, communication, and trust.

Our team partners with organizations to deliver accounting and advisory services that create clarity and support better decision-making every step of the way.

✔ Reliable financial oversight
✔ Personalized client support
✔ Integrated accounting and tax services
✔ Long-term partnership approach

Because lasting success starts with a strong financial foundation.

https://smcocpa.com/

09/22/2026

Employee classification can look simple on the surface.

Salaried = exempt.
1099 = contractor.
Manager title = exempt employee.

But in California, classification depends on much more than a title or how someone is paid.

Misclassification can lead to unpaid overtime, wage-and-hour penalties, missed meal and rest period premiums, and costly disputes.

In our latest article, we break down the differences between:

• Salaried exempt employees
• Salaried non-exempt employees
• Hourly non-exempt employees
• Independent contractors

We also cover common classification mistakes and the questions employers should be asking before a problem arises.

The biggest takeaway:

Paying someone a salary does not automatically make them exempt, and calling someone an independent contractor does not automatically make them one.

Read the full article to learn what California employers should review now.

An employee is salaried, so they must be exempt. Someone works part-time and independently, so maybe they can be a contractor. A manager has “manager” in their title, so they should qualify for the exemption.

09/22/2026

Your strategic plan should show up in your employees’ goals.

A strategic plan is only useful if it changes what people actually do.

In our recent webinar, Motivate, Reward, Repeat: Building High-Impact Incentive Plans, we discussed how balanced scorecards can help connect organizational priorities to individual employee goals.

When employees can clearly see:

• What they are responsible for
• How success will be measured
• How their work supports the organization’s strategy

your strategic plan becomes part of day-to-day operations instead of something reviewed once a year.

Read more: https://mailchi.mp/smco/your-strategic-plan-should-show-up-in-your-employees-goals

09/18/2026

Grant deadlines shouldn’t send your team into scramble mode.

Join us on Wednesday, November 18 from 9:00–10:15 AM PST for The Grants Playbook, an online conversation focused on making the grant process more strategic, organized, and effective.

We’ll be joined by:

Emily Chase — Grants & Redevelopment Manager, Kingsport Housing & Redevelopment Authority
Rebecca Rubin — President, Wide Sky Consulting
Gayle Hepner — Executive Director, REACH

Together, they’ll discuss:
- What funders are really looking for
- How to identify the right grants for your organization
- How technology can help your team work smarter
- How to create a repeatable process that reduces deadline chaos

If grants are an important part of your organization’s funding strategy, this session is designed to give you practical ideas you can use right away.

Register today and join us November 18.https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RflmsxL1RMKAq1FDautLsA #/registration

09/17/2026

We’re excited that Chad Porter, CPA, CFE, Principal will be representing Smith Marion & Co. at the GAHRA Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia, September 21–22.

Chad will be leading a day-and-a-half finance track, sharing practical insight with housing authority leaders on the financial topics they are navigating every day.

He has had the opportunity to speak at GAHRA before and always enjoys the conversations, questions, and engagement from this group.

If you’ll be at the conference, be sure to stop by, say hi, and join Chad for the finance sessions.

09/15/2026

Moving a parent into assisted living can bring emotional and financial changes all at once.

While helping them create new routines, stay connected, and feel at home is important, families should also pay close attention to the financial side of the transition.

If you're managing expenses as a trustee, conservator, agent under a power of attorney, or other fiduciary, assisted living fees, medical costs, personal purchases, property expenses, and reimbursements should all be clearly documented.

Smith Marion's Trust & Estate Accounting team helps families and fiduciaries organize financial activity, maintain accurate records, and prepare required accountings so you can manage your responsibilities with greater confidence.

Need help bringing order to the financial side of a loved one's transition? Let's talk.

Want more guidance on making the transition easier? Read more about helping a parent adjust to assisted living here: https://smcocpa.com/helping-a-parent-adjust-to-assisted-living/