Written By Kurt Needles
Needles & Associates
P: 303.430.4225 E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

One recent payroll audit took us to the doorstep of one of our southern clients, in this instance to the residence of the company accountant.  Every payroll auditor detests auditing in someone’s home – it is just uncomfortable.  On this particular day I had to ring the bell several times before the door was answered.  Apparently the accountant had forgotten about the audit appointment because he was still in his pajamas. 

After throwing on a robe, the client led me back to his office.  I found one spot to sit on that was not covered with stacks of papers and other piles of junk and managed to find an outlet to plug in my laptop.  As I was going through the payroll, the accountant insisted on talking to me as I worked, and a Chihuahua was constantly walking around my feet.  The accountant told me all about his John Wayne movie collection, his pirated satellite signal, and showed me his collection of LARGE bowie knives.  Needless to say, I was glad when that audit was over!

Written by Meghan Kramer
Bond Beebe, Accountants & Advisors
P: 301.272.6038 E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

As a traveling auditor, time is of the essence.  I recently went on a trip to Massachusetts in which I had five audits, in five different cities, in four days.  To maximize my time and efficiency, the Firm issued me a wireless internet card.  This would allow me to submit finished audit reports in the field to our Firm’s intranet for immediate review.  On this particular Tuesday, I had a great day of work.  Since I had the wireless card, I was able to retrieve, send and receive any information I needed in real-time.  At the end of the day I was able to complete the audit and turn it in for review.  Feeling confident and pleased with myself for such a productive day’s work, I left and started on a two hour drive to my next job site for the following day.

When I arrived at the hotel, I opened up my wallet for payment and….my credit card was gone.  Panicked, I retraced my steps to think where I could have left it.  Then it hit me.  Lunch.  Back from where I just came from, two hours away.  I called the restaurant immediately and felt relieved and irritated at the same when time they told me my card was in their hands.  Thinking there was no way I could drive another two hours back to the hotel after I received my card, I cancelled my reservation and set up arrangements to stay where I had the night before.  I’ll make the drive in the morning and be at the Employer’s by 9:00am, I thought.

With my credit card now in hand, I thought my problems were over.  That was until up to seven inches of snow became inevitable in the forecast throughout the night and into the next day’s afternoon.  If I stayed here tonight and drove to my job in the morning, I would face certain danger.  There was only one thing to do.  I had to drive back to my cancelled hotel that instant, or I might never make it to the job.  So, off I went into the night for another two hour drive.  When I arrived, the snow had just begun to fall and the hotel clerk welcomed me for a second time that day. 

I woke up the next morning to seven inches of snow.  It took me nearly an hour to clear off the rented Jeep Compass’ windows and hood.  As if the past twenty-four hours had not been trying enough, the Jeep did not have four-wheel drive.  It didn’t take me more than twenty seconds from the time I put the car into reverse to get stuck in the hotel parking lot, which had not yet been plowed.  Thankfully, a Good Samaritan shoveled me out, pushed me out onto the road, and off I went.  Just another day in the life of a traveling auditor.

Traveling is never anything less than an adventure; you can always expect the unexpected.  Regardless of what goes on, there is a job to do:  records to analyze, data to record, and an audit to complete.  On this day I was extremely efficient in my work but, life happens and you just have to keep moving through it because after all, tomorrow is another day.

Written by Larry Beebe
Bond Beebe, Accountants & Advisors
P: 301.272.6025 E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

I had been trying to schedule a payroll audit for months.  The employer used every excuse possible to postpone.  The east coast had been pounded with heavy rain.  One rainy morning I was complaining to all who would listen that the employer in question would probably cancel again.  One of my “buddies” left the office and called me pretending to be the employer.  He said his office had been flooded and he had to postpone the audit.  I hung up and sat at my desk fuming.  Then I remembered the employer’s offices were on an upper floor of an office building.  My rage increased as I reached for the phone to call the Fund attorney to complain about the “the flood of epic proportion” that would be needed to make the employer’s latest excuse possible.  My “buddy” made me hang up, he explained his prank and we had a good laugh.  Several days later I arrived at the employer to do the audit.  I sat there for several hours waiting for the employer to arrive.  What was his excuse?  He said his basement at home flooded and he had been cleaning it up.

Written by Kurt Needles

Needles & Associates, LLC

P: 303.430.4225 E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last week I was going out of state to work on an annual audit client.  Another client in the same town had a delinquency issue, so since I was already going to be there, I said I would do it. After all, it was only five guys for a short audit period.  How bad could it be?

Well, sometimes I forget what a tough job payroll auditing can be.  The owner’s wife was overbearing, and the information supplied to me had everything except the plumbers blacked out.  I was told that I was a “hitman” for the union, that I wanted personal payroll information on them, that the payroll audit was some sort of “punishment” and that I had no right to see the Electricians!  (Not auditing for them.)  No matter how much I tried to calm her down, rationally explaining why payroll audits need to be performed, assuring her that since no one was paying me to audit the Electricians, I had no intention of doing so.  I told her that we are independent (e.g., not hitmen for the union)... yada yada yada – all the standard lines.  This sparring match went on for at least an hour.  They were calling the different unions, the owner coming in to find out what was going on, etc.  When I finally got what I needed, it only took me 20 minutes or so to copy the information.

As I write this I realize that this blog is for all the managers.  Every once in a while it is good to see what your staff is enduring every day.  Sometimes I forget.  I’m taking them all out for a beer, or two, on me.