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Connecticut’s expected General Fund surplus shrank for the fourth month in a row, according to a Friday fiscal update by Comptroller Sean Scanlon, who projected the state would end the 2024 fiscal year with $153.9 million in black ink.

With choreographed expressions of contrition and determination, Gov. Ned Lamont and Democratic legislative leaders acknowledged Tuesday their failure to make a convincing case for phasing out sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 and pledged to quickly find a new path forward.

The average small business loan interest rates range from 5% to more than 11%. High-interest rates and limitations on traditional loans can impede small business owners’ ability to borrow money to reinvest in or expand their businesses. Supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), the Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund is focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits thrive. This low interest, fixed 4.5%, loan program provides access to flexible funding for capital expenditures and working capital and connects business owners with free support services. Supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), the Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund is focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits thrive. This low interest, fixed 4.5%, loan program provides access to flexible funding for capital expenditures and working capital and connects business owners with free support services.

CT repaid $1.2 B borrowed during pandemic to pay jobless benefits.

Connecticut has passed four directives regarding CPA Exam credit retention.

Mark Boughton, commissioner of the state Department of Revenue Services, described a new effort to formulate CT's first-ever long-term tax strategy recently at a forum in Hartford sponsored by the Yankee Institute.

For Connecticut Public Charity registrations originally due after July 1, 2023, Connecticut Public Acts 23-99 and P.A. 23-98, effectively raise the audit threshold for charitable organizations (subject to registration) to gross revenues greater than $1,000,000 and allows for an audit or review for organizations with gross revenues between $500,001 and $1,000,000. Gross revenue is calculated excluding grants or fees from government agencies or revenue from funds held in trust for the benefit of the organization. Public Acts 23-98 and 99 state that, “For a financial statement [i.e., a charitable registration] that is initially due after July 1, 2023, a charitable organization shall include with the charitable organization's financial statement (A) an attestation that an audit report has been completed by a certified public accountant if the charitable organization had gross revenue in excess of one million dollars in the year covered by such report, or (B) an attestation that an audit or review report has been completed by a certified public accountant if the charitable organization had gross revenue in excess of five hundred thousand dollars but not more than one million dollars in the year covered by such report.” With the law effective July 1, 2023, the new provision generally applies to each Connecticut charitable organization subject to registration with a fiscal year ending August 31, 2022 or later. CPAs should consider alerting their not-for-profit clients of the new requirements. The chart below refers to the financial documents required for renewal applications.

This spring the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) announced an amendment to the Uniform Accountancy Act Model Rules that extends the CPA Exam testing window from 18 months to 30 months. This means that individuals will now have 30 months from receiving their first CPA Exam section passing score to successfully pass the remaining sections.

Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo is warning Connecticut employers and residents of an uptick in unemployment benefits fraud due to identity theft. Connecticut is among states being targeted by criminals who are flooding the unemployment system using stolen identities to file for benefits. During the pandemic, stolen identities were available on the dark web for about one dollar. Criminals are still mining this resource to purchase names, Social Security Numbers, birth dates, and other personal information that they use to apply for credit cards, bank loans, and unemployment benefits. Connecticut’s unemployment system is currently receiving several thousand claims per day; CTDOL suspects around 75% are fraudulent and is withholding payment.

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law legislation approved by the Connecticut General Assembly during the recently adjourned session that requires students to complete a half-credit course in personal financial management and financial literacy in order to graduate from Connecticut public high schools. It also adds personal financial management and financial literacy to the state’s required program of instruction for public schools.

With just minutes left in the 2023 Connecticut legislative session, Connecticut officially joined the first states to adopt the 30-month CPA Exam testing window recommended by NASBA.

On May 10, exactly three years and two months after Gov. Ned Lamont declared a public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he declared it over.

If you own a business with 5 or more employees and do not offer a qualified retirement savings plan, state law requires that you provide a retirement savings option. Initial registration deadlines have passed, but you can still take action by August 31, 2023. Employers can register with MyCTSavings at no cost to the business, or provide a private retirement plan to comply with the law. Learn more and register at https://myctsavings.com/employers/program-details.

In response to feedback submitted through the exposure draft, NASBA has announced that it will adopt an increased testing window of 30 months.

Some members of Connecticut’s medical marijuana community are concerned about the recreational market with sales expected to start on Jan. 10, 2023. They are also concerned about the mold threshold allowed under Connecticut law.

Legislative leaders are considering calling a special session after the November election

The crush of 30,000 applications for a $30 million program to compensate Connecticut workers who couldn’t work from home at the beginning of the pandemic is expected to be fully functional by the end of the week.

The bill requires CPAs to keep work product and workpaper related to work for a client for at least seven years after creation unless the law requires a longer retention. Current law only specifies that CPAs must retain workpaper as required by law.

Taxation of CPA services was a hot topic in several state legislatures this year as states sought to fix expected revenue shortfalls.

Senate Democrats are once again hoping to expand the state’s paid sick leave program to cover more workers during the upcoming legislative session.