Smith Marion & Co., Inc.

10/21/2026

Smith Marion & Co. will be back at the Nonprofit Impact Conference in Portland, October 25–26.

This year, KC Dockham and Christen Goertel will be representing SMCO and spending time with nonprofit leaders from across the region.

Last year’s conference was a great opportunity for our team to hear directly from organizations about the challenges they are navigating, the work they are doing, and the impact they are trying to create.

We’re looking forward to continuing those conversations this year.

If you’ll be attending, be sure to connect with KC and Christen while you’re there.

10/20/2026

Financial reporting should give you clarity; not confusion.

At Smith Marion, we help clients simplify the financial side of their organization through proactive support, transparent communication, and advisory-focused accounting services.

✔ Organized financial processes
✔ Insightful reporting
✔ Strategic recommendations
✔ A dedicated team that understands your goals

We’re committed to helping organizations operate with confidence and stability.

https://smcocpa.com/

10/19/2026

Thinking about moving into a rental property before selling it to qualify for the Home Sale Exclusion?

It can help — but living in the property for two years does not necessarily make the entire gain tax-free.

Depreciation recapture may still be taxable, and previous rental years can reduce the amount of gain eligible for the Section 121 exclusion.

Understanding the tax consequences before you sell can help avoid an unexpected bill later. Visit our website for more information:

Tax & Accounting - Smith Marion delivers expert services to simplify compliance, optimize finances, and support your business growth.

10/16/2026

Do you still need a grant writer in the age of AI?

AI can help draft content, review requirements, catch errors, and even search for grant opportunities. But there is one important thing it does not replace: expertise.

In our latest article, Hannah Baldwin shares a few takeaways from a recent conversation with Emily Chase as they prepared for The Grants Playbook.

A few of the big ideas:

AI is only as good as the information you give it
AI is only as good as the person reviewing the output
AI can save significant time, but it does not replace careful review
AI can help identify grant opportunities, but organizations still need to confirm the opportunity is actually a good fit
This is just a small preview of what we’ll be discussing during The Grants Playbook on November 18.

Read the article, then join us for the full conversation.

Register for The Grants Playbook:https://www.eventcreate.com/e/grantsplaybook

10/15/2026

FMLA. CFRA. Paid Family Leave. Baby bonding. Pregnancy Disability Leave.

They are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.

Some provide job protection.

Some provide partial wage replacement.

Some apply based on employer size.

And several may run at the same time.

That is where California leave can get confusing quickly.

In our latest article, we break down the differences between the most common types of employee leave in California, including:

• Paid Family Leave (PFL)
• CFRA and baby bonding
• FMLA
• Pregnancy Disability Leave

The biggest takeaway:

Start by separating two questions: What protects the employee’s job, and what replaces their income while they are out?

Understanding that distinction makes employee leave much easier to navigate.

Read the full article to learn how these different programs work together.

You hear FMLA, CFRA, baby bonding and Pregnancy Disability Leave thrown around—sometimes as though they are all different names for the same thing.

10/14/2026

How do you know if your salaries are actually competitive?

The annual TN/KY Housing Authority Salary & Metrics Study is back.

Housing Authorities in Tennessee and Kentucky can participate in the study and receive the completed report at no cost. The study provides benchmarking data around compensation, staffing, benefits, and other key metrics to help leaders make better decisions about budgeting, retention, and workforce planning.

Not in Tennessee or Kentucky? You still have options.

You can pre-order the completed study for $750 through March 31. Beginning April 1, the price increases to $1,000.

Or, if your state association or Housing Authority network is interested in having benchmarking data specific to your own state, talk to us about developing a salary and metrics study for your region.

TN/KY Housing Authorities: participate in the study.
Outside TN/KY: pre-order the report or talk to us about bringing a study to your state.

Ready to participate? Register now to reserve your spot in this year’s study.

REGISTER FOR THE STUDY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BS3GYQK

10/13/2026

When a parent passes away, the financial responsibilities often continue long after the funeral.

Property expenses, medical bills, taxes, debts, professional fees, and administration costs may need to be handled before beneficiaries receive distributions.

One of the biggest mistakes families can make is distributing assets too soon. Once money has been distributed, recovering it to cover an unexpected estate obligation can become difficult.

For trustees, executors, and fiduciaries, careful recordkeeping throughout this process is also essential.

Smith Marion's Trust & Estate Accounting Services help organize financial activity, track expenses, prepare fiduciary accountings, and bring clarity to the financial responsibilities that follow a loved one's passing.

Administering an estate and unsure where to begin? Let's talk.

Funeral costs are only the beginning. Read more about the expenses families may face after a parent passes away here: https://smcocpa.com/expenses-occur-after-a-parent-dies/

10/12/2026

We’re heading to Meet the Firms at University of Riverside on October 13 from 5:00–7:00 PM!

Ruby Tostado, KC Dockham, and Hannah Baldwin will be there representing Smith Marion & Co. and meeting students who are interested in starting their careers in accounting.

We’re currently recruiting Tax Interns, and Meet the Firms is a great opportunity to learn what public accounting actually looks like, ask questions, and get a feel for the people behind the firm.

And since apparently this is a debate now: yes, you can bring an iced coffee.

We’re much more interested in having a good conversation with you than policing whether your interview or career-fair drink is “professional.”

If you’re looking for hands-on experience and the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, stop by our table and say hello.

View our current openings here:https://smcocpa.com/careers/

10/09/2026

Will you be at NAHRO? Stop by and say hi! We’re excited to have Hannah Baldwin, and Christen Goertel representing Smith Marion & Co. at NAHRO in Denver, October 14–16.

Conferences like NAHRO are a valuable opportunity for our team to connect with housing professionals from across the country, hear what agencies are navigating, and continue building relationships within the industry.

If you’ll be attending, be sure to stop our booth.

10/08/2026

A structured incentive program should be planned compensation tied to clear expectations—not leftover money distributed at the end of the year.

In our webinar, Motivate, Reward, Repeat: Building High-Impact Incentive Plans, we discussed why organizations should:

• Budget for incentive pay in advance
• Set clear, measurable goals
• Make the incentive meaningful
• Review progress regularly
• Connect payouts directly to performance

The incentive itself matters, but the bigger value is the accountability and clarity the process creates.

Read more: https://mailchi.mp/smco/stop-treating-incentive-pay-like-a-year-end-bonus

Instead of deciding after the fact whether employees should receive additional compensation, the organization establishes the opportunity in advance.