Services

For your business to grow and create value, it must first garner the trust of your customers, lenders, vendors and employees. Choosing the right accounting firm is critical when establishing that trust.  At Day Seckler, we offer efficient, reliable and affordable accounting services tailored to meet the needs of our clients. Further, we structure each engagement to provide the appropriate level of service based on the needs of both our clients and the end users of their financial information.

The foundation to our approach is our experience and a thorough understanding of the unique characteristics of the industries we serve. Coupled with that knowledge, we employ the latest technology to efficiently plan and perform client engagements, while providing value-added insight for strengthening internal controls, improving cash flow and increasing operating efficiencies.

Our accounting services are supported by a stringent system of quality control, based on independence, integrity and objectivity. Day Seckler is proud to have received an unqualified peer review by an independent review firm – the highest ranking awarded.

Consider Day Seckler if you are looking for the following:

• Accounting system set-up for new businesses
• General ledger and financial statement preparation
• Audited, reviewed or compiled financial statements
• Bookkeeping (monthly/quarterly/annually)
• Computerized payroll services
• Compliance with IFRS standards
• Internal controls review and documentation
• Personal financial statements
• Forecasts and projections
• Set-up and maintenance of depreciation schedules

Financial statements are one of the best ways to evaluate a business’s performance, but they can be difficult to comprehend. Audit, review and compilation are three distinct levels of service relating to financial statement reporting. These reports allow owners and investors to evaluate their business and guide them as they make management decisions.

Audits

An audit is necessary to attest to the accuracy of your company’s financial statements. The process involves a critical review and verification of financial information, providing the highest level of assurance on how your company is performing financially.

While the audit is focused on the past, we assess your current procedures and processes to recommend practical suggestions to strengthen internal controls for your future operations. Since a large part of the work necessary for an audit will be provided by your staff, we recognize that thinking – the hardest work around – is the core challenge of the firm selected to audit your financial statements. The need for intellectual curiosity is further accentuated by the complexity of the organization as reflected in your financial statements and related footnotes.

Reviews

The objective of a review is to provide limited assurance to investors or banks that a company’s financial statements are satisfactory. At Day Seckler, we use industry knowledge and analytical procedures to evaluate your business and provide a fair analysis.

Compilations

It is our practice to begin a compilation by gathering details about the industry and the client and then assessing the financial statements to look for possible errors. We then present the documents to management without any opinion or assurance.

You’re probably familiar with the old adage that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Similarly, at Day Seckler we believe if you’ve secured a plan for your finances, you’ve planned for a secure financial future. From budgeting and profitability analysis, to strategic planning, think of us as your financial compass.

Our team can serve as an outsourced CFO, or perhaps just support your on-site financial staff to strengthen and improve your business from the inside out. By focusing on understanding your business values, culture and strategic goals, we can see the forest through the trees – working with you to aim your operations in the right direction. We can help you breathe easier, sleep more soundly, and focus on the work you’re most passionate about.

Our collective experience in a broad range of industries enables our Firm to provide consulting services in almost any financial and business situation including, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Business valuation 
• Acquisitions and mergers
• Break even analyses
• Budgets
• Buy/Sell agreements
• Cash management
   

It’s difficult to put a price on all the hard work that has gone into building your business. That’s why Day Seckler’s valuation professionals take an objective approach to assessing the value of your company. We combine a sophisticated understanding of accounting, tax, financial statement analysis and business operations with demonstrated competence in valuation to produce well-reasoned reports. Our valuation consultants are all Certified Valuation Analysts and members of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

Whether you are negotiating the sale or purchase of a business or settling a legal dispute, the Day Seckler valuation team can provide a comprehensive analysis of your business.

Our specialists are prepared to assist you with a professional valuation in the following situations:

• Mergers and acquisitions
• Purchase or sale of an ownership interest
• Buy-sell agreements and succession planning
• Sales, expansions or reductions, and borrowing
• Divorce proceedings and pre-nuptial agreements
• Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs)
• Gift and estate taxes
• Distribution of estate and trust assets
• Litigation involving damages and losses, lost wages and business interruptions, fraud, anti-trust, or forensic investigations, accounting and tax matters, and intellectual property.

The complex and confusing projects of a business in financial difficulty can be daunting. We add stability to business operations to preserve and/or enhance enterprise value and ultimately, our team reduces the business and personal stress of all involved. 

At Day Seckler, our objective is to provide timely, creative and pragmatic solutions to maximize the outcome for affected stakeholders. Our clients include business owners, financial institutions, industry associations and other stakeholders involved with businesses in financial difficulty. In addition, we assist professional advisors to both creditors and debtors, including lawyers, accountants and financial consultants. 

Our team is made up of Certified Public Accountants and Certified Insolvency & Reorganization Advisors (CIRA), all willing to assist you with your financial needs. Day Seckler has served as Chief Restructuring Officer, Trustee, Financial Manager and Liquidating Trustee to keep abreast of the most recent legislative, regulatory and practice developments.

Each year, the rules and regulations governing benefit plan compliance grow increasingly more complex. With heightened governmental scrutiny, are you confident your employee benefit plan is compliant with all applicable requirements?

At Day Seckler, we have dedicated substantial resources to our employee benefit plan practice. We maintain a membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center. As a condition of this membership, we have met certain requirements that help ensure the quality of our employee benefit plan audits.

Our employee benefit plan auditors welcome the opportunity to help you satisfy your fiduciary obligations and provide you with a value-added audit. Our team can assist you with the following services:

Our employee benefit plan services include:

• Financial statement preparation
• Full and limited scope audits as required by ERISA
• Preparation of Form 5500
• Representation during IRS and Department of Labor audits
• Special audit procedures directed toward compliance with regulatory requirements
• Submission of forms to the IRS and Department of Labor

Having the knowledge and insight of experienced professionals is essential when you are in need of forensic accounting and/or litigation support services. At Day Seckler our forensic accounting and litigation support services team is comprised of professionals with extensive first-hand experience in-the-field and on-the-stand. We are qualified as expert witnesses in both Federal and State courts. We go beyond the call of duty as your witnesses; we provide trustworthy, seamless support as an integrated member of your team.

Our Forensic Accounting Services

Day Seckler offers forensic accounting services to legal professionals and companies across all industries. Our professionals are thorough and trustworthy. As a mid-market firm, we offer agile and responsive service and work closely with you to meet your needs, no matter how “last minute” they may be. In addition, we have honed our communication skills in the courtroom to ensure clear, effective support for your case.

Day Seckler has experience in providing forensic accounting services in the following areas:

• Quantification or fraud losses
• Investigation of theft of company assets and resources
• Examination of bribery and corruption matters
• Analysis of transaction flows
• Records examination and reconstruction
• Investigation of financial reporting irregularities
• Insurance claims analysis
• Search for unreported income and assets
• Investigation of purchasing fraud and kickback schemes
• Examination of bribery and other corruption matters
• Analysis of accountants' work papers and programs

Our Litigation Support Services

At Day Seckler, we offer an extensive range of litigation support services to our clients and legal professionals. Our team has the capability to provide assistance with the preparation of document requests, depositions, Examinations Under-Oath and settlement negotiations. Using accounting, auditing and other investigative methods, we conduct financial investigations, analysis of damage claims and the preparation of financial models. Members of our Firm have extensive experience providing testimony and have been recognized as experts in Federal and State courts.

Specifically, Day Seckler has experience providing the following litigation support services:

• Damage measurement
  • Determination of lost profits and damages
  • Determination of contractual damages
  • Personal injury/ loss of income determinations
  • Business interruption damages
  • Fraud and embezzlement losses
  • Insurance claims analysis and quantification
  • Determination of losses due to professional liability
• Divorce support
  • Funds flow tracing
  • Unreported income determination
  • Business valuations
  • Marital lifestyle analysis
  • Structuring of settlements
  • Tax planning and strategizing
  • Assistance in discovery
  • Tracing and documenting exempt assets
  • Mediation services
• Stockholder suits and partnership dissolutions
  • Determination of true income
  • Valuation of goodwill
  • Assisting in matters involving shareholder or partner oppression
• White-collar crime, fraud and embezzlement
  • Employee and executive embezzlement investigation and quantification
  • Examination of fraud in corporate agreements
  • Examination of supplier and customer fraud
  • Investigation of financial statement fraud
• Bankruptcy, creditor committees and workouts
  • Working with owner, management and legal counsel to determine whether a business should restructure in or out of bankruptcy
  • Assisting debtors in preparing required schedules, operatory reports and type of reorganization
  • Assisting creditors in evaluating their rights and potential recoveries in and out of bankruptcy
  • Uncovering preferential and fraudulent transfers
  • Evaluating the financial viability of the debtor-in-possession
• Insurance claims
  • Support for inventory and property losses
  • Assistance in construction claims
  • Determination of lost income
  • Claims preparation
• Estate and trust matters
  • Determination of estate assets and liabilities
  • Estate and gift tax valuations
  • Estate and trust accountings
• Construction claims
  • Computation of delay claims
  • Analysis of costs and budget variances
  • Assist surety companies in monitoring and verifying construction contract completion costs
• Trial services
  • Expert testimony and written reports
  • Analysis and critique of opposing expert report
  • Assistance with discovery issues
  • Financial exhibits and other visual aids
  • Settlement and mediation conferences

Whether it is assisting with a preliminary assessment of causation and financial damages, or helping to assess suspected fraud or contract failures, our litigation professionals are here to help.

When it comes to buying and/or selling a business, a great deal of information gathering and analysis is necessary.  Often, before you can make a definitive decision, many complex issues must be reviewed and resolved.  It is imperative to engage objective, experienced professionals to assist you throughout the process.

Day Seckler’s team has the tools to ensure a smooth transaction. We can assist you in determining a focused M&A strategy so you are well-equipped to sustain yourself after the merger or acquisition is complete. Our team will provide the expertise, objectivity and organizational skills to produce the most favorable result.

Specifically, Day Seckler provides high quality, customized services in the following areas surrounding your merger or acquisition:

• Business valuation
• Due diligence
• Offer evaluation
• Tax planning and preparation
• Financing
• Income statement review
• ESOPs
• Agreed-upon procedures (asset verification, search for unrecorded liabilities, financial analysis and internal control evaluation)
• Post-transaction cash flow and earning analysis

As businesses become more complex, it is increasingly difficult for business owners to assess the trends affecting operations or to find time to do so. In addition, many successful companies cannot or choose not to maintain a full internal accounting staff to meet their needs. Accordingly, many successful companies utilize outsourced professionals for their accounting and finance needs. To meet these needs, we customize our services to align with the needs of your business and to give you the help and support you require.

Our Firm provides wide-ranging accounting, financial management and consulting services on a part-time or interim basis. In many cases, business owners find that outsourced financial services are more cost effective than hiring full-time accounting or financial employees. They also find that both the quality and timeliness of financial management information is improved. The bottom line is that we assist in improving the performance of your business and bring peace of mind to the business owner. We have the capability of offering the necessary assistance to facilitate the achievement of your business goals.

Choosing Day Seckler for your service needs will provide an outside perspective for your business and will also be a form of protection against internal fraud.

In today’s complex business world, QuickBooks is an essential tool for any business to run efficiently and operate successfully. It offers a cost-effective solution to meet present and future accounting and report needs. However, many businesses don’t know how to effectively implement and use features or options within QuickBooks.

We recognize both large and small businesses could use our help when faced with the daunting task of implementing or improving their accounting systems and software packages. Our team of specialists understands the unique needs of your business and will assist you in utilizing technology strategically, securely and effectively. At Day Seckler, we offer customized QuickBooks solutions, allowing your business to benefit from the innovative, personalized software technology, while having the peace of mind that you aren’t making costly mistakes by using the technology alone.

Our Certifed QuickBooks ProAdvisor and other firm professionals are here to help you. Our specific services include:

• Accounting system reviews
• Installation
• Customized program set-up
• Report design
• On-site one on one instruction
• Phone support
• System performance improvement
• General accounting instruction
• Year-end closing support
   

There are many questions surrounding the succession of your business.  At some point, you will be ready to pass it to the next generation, sell or transition the operations to key employees. Transitioning ownership of a closely-held or family-owned business is a complex and tricky process. In addition to the various technical and tax issues, there are usually family dynamics and individual circumstances that must be considered. The professionals at Day Seckler can provide you with a strategic plan to meet your specific objectives.

We have extensive experience assisting business owners with planning and implementing vital succession decisions. As an unbiased outside advisor, we can assist you in evaluating alternative solutions and creating a succession plan that is appropriate for your unique situation.

The development and implementation of an effective succession plan will provide you with assurance that your business will have a long and prosperous future. By tackling succession planning today, you can control the transition difficulties which could delay or even prevent an orderly transition in the future.

Our professionals can assist with the following services:

• Owner/management succession planning
• Estate and tax planning
• Business valuations
• Buy/sell agreements
• Business and strategic planning

Think the term “tax” only applies to work performed prior to and around the April 15th deadline? Think again. At Day Seckler, our tax group works closely with clients throughout the year to create innovative and customized solutions to minimize your tax burden.

Our tax services exceed basic planning and preparation. We continually develop advanced strategies and sound business advice to help our clients reach their goals. Our firm maintains a membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Tax Division to keep abreast of the most recent legislative, regulatory and practice developments.

We specialize in the following tax planning, preparation and compliance services:

• Year-round tax planning and implementation
• Review of tax credit purchase options
• Federal and state tax return preparation
• Representation before federal and state taxing authorities