2012 has ended, and for
most of you that means the end of your fiscal year as well. Don’t start the new
year without successfully wrapping up your 2012 business affairs. Here is a
handy checklist of some things you need to consider.

• If not already conducted, schedule your annual corporate
  meetings for shareholders and directors. Give notice in accordance with your
  bylaws/code of regulations, and set the agenda for the meeting

• Review your corporate minute book to make sure it is up to
  date: Are last year’s minutes in there, and are they
  signed? Did the minutes call for certain actions to be taken during the year,
  and have these items been accomplished? Do the minutes ratify corporate
  actions, such as contributions to benefit plans, borrowing, auto leasing, and
  monetary distributions?

• Have there been any changes in the officers, directors, or
  shareholders? Do the corporate records reflect those changes? Do others need to
  be elected?

• Are there shares of stock needing to be transferred or
  canceled? Is your share ledger in the back of the minute book up to date?

• Is the statutory agent designated to receive important papers
  current and on file with the Secretary of State? Check the state’s website.

• Is your corporation in good standing with the state? Check
  the state’s website.

• Is the corporation doing business in any other states? Is it
  appropriately registered and meeting the requirements to do business in those
  states?

• Has the annual financial report?including a balance sheet,
  statement of profit and loss and surplus, and an opinion of the financial
  position of the corporation?been prepared?

• Do the corporate records verify payments of salaries versus
  bonuses and dividends? The Internal Revenue Service can contend that payments
  to corporate officers, employees, or shareholders are not deductible dividends;
  and that payments to officers who are not shareholders are not deductible.
  Assure the proper classification of such payments by identifying the payments
  as deductible compensation and consider identifying the justification.

• If no, or nominal, dividends are to be paid and your
  corporation has a large amount of accumulated earnings, do the minutes include
  a statement of the reasons why the earnings are being retained?

• Have you changed financial institutions during the year and
  not noted it within the corporate records? Are those who are authorized to sign
  checks still the appropriate names, and are the appropriate corporate
  resolutions contained within the minute book?

• Have there been loans to officers or
  shareholders that need to be documented by minutes and promissory notes?

• Do you have a buy/sell agreement that regulates and restricts
  the transfer of shares so you don’t end up with an unwanted “business partner?”
  Have you updated the valuation information that sets the price for which shares
  are repurchased? Has the buy/sell agreement been amended to include new
  shareholders?

• Are your benefit plans?such as retirement, profit sharing,
  medical reimbursement, Section 125 or 401(k) plan?appropriately documented
  within the corporate records and in full compliance with the law? Are the
  summary plan descriptions you give to employees up to date? Are you
  strategizing about the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
  Act?

• Have you consulted with your Certified Public Accountant
  regarding year-end matters and anticipated 2013 financial matters?

• Have you evaluated the cost of your Workers’ Compensation
  Program? Have you shopped for enrolment in a workers’ compensation group that
  provides good savings (discounts) and effective third-party administration?
  Have you gone online and looked at your claims history to identify your major
  claims? Have you met with your workers’ compensation attorney to devise a plan
  to eliminate costly claims from your experience and reduce your premiums?

• For those key employees hired in 2012, do you have employment
  agreements in place addressing such things as non-disclosure of confidential
  information and non-competition? It’s not too late.

• Have you reviewed your general liability insurance and other
  business coverages with your agent to ensure proper, cost-effective coverage?

• Are your licenses to do business in
  various locales current?

• Have you reviewed the exempt and non-exempt wage-hour status
  of your employees to ensure wages and applicable overtime are being paid
  properly and records maintained appropriately?

• Your personnel policies and practices may require
  modification due to recent National Labor Relations Board decisions applicable
  to non-union employers. Is your employee handbook up to date?

• Remember to run the numbers on your Occupational Safety and
  Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300 logs and prepare Form 300A for posting.

Dust off those corporate records and make sure that
everything is ready for the new year.