Cray, Kaiser Ltd.

Cray, Kaiser Ltd. Not Just Numbers People. People People. The numbers matter because of the people whose businesses and lives they affect.

Beginning with tax year 2026, the federal filing threshold for Form 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC rises from $600 to $2,000 (an...
10/01/2026

Beginning with tax year 2026, the federal filing threshold for Form 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC rises from $600 to $2,000 (and will be indexed for inflation beginning in 2027). That means fewer forms to complete for small contractor payments.

Here's the catch: states get to decide whether to follow the federal change. Some will adopt $2,000 automatically, some are staying at $600 and others are setting their own rules. Some states also only require filing if state tax was withheld.

Before filing season:
✅Check the 1099-NEC thresholds for every state where you pay contractors
✅If a payment exceeds the threshold, confirm whether the state also requires withholding before a filing is needed

Questions about your 1099 requirements? Cray Kaiser is happy to help. Call us at 630.953.4900.

09/25/2026

When it comes to placing ACH payments, verification is everything. Here are a few best practices worth building into your process:

✅Require 2-3 people in your organization to sign off on payment requests
✅Use multi-factor authentication
✅Call and confirm directly with the person or vendor who requested the payment

It sounds old-school, but verifying is still one of the best defenses against fraud. Because once a fraudulent ACH goes out, those funds are gone.

09/18/2026

We're excited to show you our new office space!

Every detail was thoughtfully designed to bring the team together, from open collaboration areas to quiet spaces that support focused, meaningful work. Natural light, clean lines and purposeful design come together to create a workplace built on the values that define us. More than walls and windows, this space is an investment in our team, our clients and the future of our firm.

Tax identity theft is on the rise and it often happens before you even file, when someone uses your stolen Social Securi...
09/09/2026

Tax identity theft is on the rise and it often happens before you even file, when someone uses your stolen Social Security number to claim a fraudulent refund in your name.

One of the best defenses? Requesting an IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) which is a six-digit code that blocks anyone from filing a return in your name without it. You can apply for free through your IRS Individual Online Account.

Remember: the IRS will never contact you by phone, email, text, or social media to request personal or financial information and will never ask for payment via gift cards.

Learn about more ways to protect yourself by reading our blog: https://hubs.li/Q04wFyWL0

Trust isn't built overnight. It's earned through years of conversations, decisions, and milestones shared with the peopl...
09/04/2026

Trust isn't built overnight. It's earned through years of conversations, decisions, and milestones shared with the people we work with.

This year, we're proud to share that CK earned a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 79, which is well above the "world-class" benchmark of 50.

We're grateful to every client who shared their feedback and proud of the CK team members who live out our Core Values in every interaction. We're also listening closely to what we can do better because the trust behind this score is what matters the most.

Here's to another year of strengthening these relationships and helping our clients achieve even more.

08/26/2026

We have some exciting news to share! 🎉

We're so proud to celebrate three promotions this week:

Raychel Korn has been promoted to Senior Assurance Accountant
Ryan Maloney has been promoted to Senior Assurance Accountant
Matt Richardson has been promoted to Tax Supervisor

Each of these promotions reflects dedication and a strong commitment to our clients and our team. We're grateful for the energy Matt, Raychel, and Ryan bring to Cray Kaiser every day.

Please join us in congratulating them on this exciting next chapter!

We're honored to share that Cray Kaiser has once again earned a spot on Inside Public Accounting's 2026 Top 500 List of ...
08/07/2026

We're honored to share that Cray Kaiser has once again earned a spot on Inside Public Accounting's 2026 Top 500 List of CPA firms nationwide.

This is a recognition of firms that are making a real impact across the country. It reflects our firm-wide commitment to being trusted advisors for our clients and we're grateful to everyone who's been a part of our journey.

Learn more about our recognition: https://hubs.li/Q04s7wfY0

07/31/2026

Our CAAS team traded spreadsheets for scorecards at the Big I DuPage Golf Outing!

As a proud sponsor of Hole #11, they spent the day connecting with clients, colleagues and friends from the DuPage business community. Perfect weather and great conversations reminded us why events like this matter, building genuine relationships beyond the office.

Thank you to Big I DuPage for a fantastic outing. We're already looking forward to next year!

In the latest episode of CK Small Business Focus, Tax Manager Eric Challenger explains the differences between LLCs and ...
07/23/2026

In the latest episode of CK Small Business Focus, Tax Manager Eric Challenger explains the differences between LLCs and S corporations: taxes, liability protection and how much paperwork each involves.

Here's the short version:

🔹LLCs are the flexible, low-maintenance starting point. This means simple tax filing, easy income allocation and minimal admin. But as your business grows, self-employment taxes on your full net income can add up fast.

🔹S Corps aren't a separate legal entity; they're a tax election. Once you make it, you can split your income into salary + distributions, potentially cutting your SE tax bill and maximizing the QBI deduction. The tradeoffs are payroll requirements, W-2s, a separate business return and IRS scrutiny on what counts as "reasonable" compensation.

🔹So when should you consider making the switch? Many practitioners point to around $150K in annual net income as the tipping point where S-corp tax savings start to outweigh the added compliance costs.

The right structure for your business today might not be the right one in a year. Listen to the audio blog to see which one fits where you are right now. https://hubs.li/Q04pRMkw0

Have questions about your entity structure? You can call us at 630-953-4900.

Is your accounting software doing the work or is your team?If your monthly WIP (work in progress) reporting still means ...
07/21/2026

Is your accounting software doing the work or is your team?

If your monthly WIP (work in progress) reporting still means exporting data to Excel, manually updating numbers and reworking spreadsheets after the fact, it might be time to ask why.

Is your system incapable of handling this or just underutilized?

In our blog, we talk about the questions worth asking before you assume "that's just how it's done." Spreadsheets are familiar and flexible, but they also carry real risk. The goal isn't to get rid of Excel overnight. It's to begin asking better questions about where your time is going and why.

Read the full blog here: https://hubs.li/Q04pTRxn0

Address

1801 S Meyers Road, Suite 300, Oakbrook Terrace
Villa Park, IL
60181

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16309534900

Website

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