October Newsletter

A Message From The ADS Team
As we head into the final quarter of the year, many of us begin turning our attention to next years goals, objectives, and planning for our future successes. Although next year is important, and there are steps we can all take to ensure a fast start to the year, we need to be mindful that we still have a full quarter of sales to transact, 2023 goals and objectives to measure, and customer needs to satisfy today… as well as into next year.
 
For many of our dealers, they find the challenge of finishing strong, and starting stronger invigorating and seem to find an extra gear (as we do) this time of year. We know the importance of both, and we work hard to assist our dealers and their teams to make the most of both present and future.
 
One of the ways we do this is by conducting a thorough review and planning session with each of our dealers where we focus on in store profitability, product attachment rates, return of participation premium and individual development plans. This collaborative review adds accountability to all levels as well as pushes all stakeholders to the next level of performance.
 
If you haven’t taken a deep dive into your store’s performance, processes, reinsurance program, or pay plans recently, please reach out to us to conduct an unbiased evaluation and profit analysis so you can be sure you are getting everything your time and capital investment deserves.
 
Be sure to check out the article from one of our wealth management partners, Chris Daizel with London & Capital, as he discusses current markets and future outlooks and how they can affect a dealers trust portfolio. https://advanceddealersolutions.com/2023/10/reinsurance-trust-updates/
 
Some shareworthy news items… Electric cars have a road trip problem, even for the secretary of energy
As EV sales surge and cars get heavier, parking garages will have to change
UAW targets more Ford and GM plants as union expands autoworker strike
September Sales Forecast by Cox Automotive to be Up 13% Year Over Year

Events we will be attending:
 
Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com
NADA 2024 – https://www.nada.org/nada-show
 
Good luck and Good Selling!

 
The ADS Invitational
 

 
Last month we were excited to host our 3rd annual ADS Invitational at historic Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. We had dealer representatives from across the country join us for 3 days of spirited competition on the golf course. The competitiveness was on full display not only on the golf course, but also at the poker table and bags court! We appreciate everyone taking time out of their busy schedules to spend the time with our team.  

Congrats to Team Mancuso for their victory! 
 

 
AFIP Certification
 

 
The AFIP Certification Program gives F&I professionals the power to sell their products with confidence and authority. Professionals certified through AFIP gain a working knowledge of the state and federal laws associated with the F&I profession, opportunities for continuing development, and higher standing in the industry.

In a continued effort to bring value to Auto, RV, and Powersport Dealers ADS will be hosting an on-site discounted AFIP course to North East Ohio on October 17th – 18th, 2023. 

Interested in AFIP certification? Reach out to an ADS representative about hosting an AFIP course near your location!
 
Sign Up
 

 
In The Community
 

 
Susan G. Komen® Organization
In 1980, Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became the Susan G. Komen® Organization and the beginning of a global movement. What started with $200 and a shoebox full of potential donor names has now grown into the world’s largest nonprofit source of funding for the fight against breast cancer. To date, they have invested nearly $3.6 billion in groundbreaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 60 countries. Their efforts have helped reduce deaths from breast cancer by 43% since 1989 and they won’t stop until their promise is fulfilled.
 
Ways to Help
 

 
What We Are Reading
 
This past month the ADS Team enjoyed The Power of One More by Ed Mylett. At it’s core, The Power of One More is about your willingness to do one more rep, make one more phone call, get up one hour earlier, build one more relationship, or do one more thing for whatever your situation calls for. You were not born to be average or ordinary, You were born to do something great.
 

 

 
Live2Lead
 
LIVE2LEAD, hosted by Maxwell Leadership Team Members Kelly Price and Nicole Harwood, will be a day full of personal and professional growth opportunities.

You will hear from some of the most impactful leaders in the country.  Ryan Leak, Marcus Buckingham, Kendra Scott, and of course, John Maxwell!  In addition, Kelly Price, an entrepreneur, Leadership, and Personal Growth Coach, will speak on building a robust culture in your business and personal environment. The event will be held on Thursday, October 12th at Grace Church in Middleburg Heights, OH. 
 


 
Sign Up
 

 
 The Toy Box
 

 

The Batmobile….. There is not much debate for which superhero is best known for their car, it is Batman, bar none. We will be looking at a few models of the Batmobile in this section. 

Classic T.V. Series Batmobile

While it’s never going to seem the most advanced entry considering its origins as a Lincoln concept car circa 1955, the original – the “OG”, if you will – is the favorite of many, and likely will remain so for as long as there’s someone to tell the story of where it all started. Long, bubble-topped – and, for some reason, two-toned — the original on-screen Batmobile (it had taken other forms in the comic books before the TV series debuted in 1966) would go on to be not just one of the most recognizable Batmobiles of all time, but one of the most recognizable movie cars of all time.

The Burton Era

The Burton movies were the first time Batman hit the mainstream since the ultra-campy Adam West TV Series, and they were a whole lot darker – some might even say scary, especially when considering Jack Nicholson’s take on The Joker in Batman – so they needed a ride to match. Enter the Burton-mobile, all long, monochromatic, bewinged and jet-powered. It looked like a cross between a steampunk rat rod and a Lockheed SR-71 spy plane and used a good ol’ Chevy V8 engine for motive force. This may be the most recognizable and celebrated Batmobile of all time, with everything from Lego, to Hot Wheels, to the Grand Theft Auto video game series featuring cameos of it.

Batman Forever

While the Burtonmobile’s cockpit was all dark and ghoulish, it seemed that the crew behind the car for the Val Kilmer-starring Forever film wanted a little more flash than that – or, a lot more. Not only did the dance rave-y blue lighting and crazy glowy wheels (with Batman spinners!) bring a lighter look to the Batmobile, it was also better in-keeping with the ultra-bright makeup and costumes worn by the Riddler and Two-Face villains played by Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, respectively. It also kind of made it look like what you might see in a comic book because with all that colour, it would jump off the page that much more. Still had the bloody great big batwings out the back, though, and was still powered by a Chevy V8.

Batman and Robin

Remember when we said the Batmobile compliments the Batsuit in any given film? Well, when your Batsuit infamously features nipples, your Batmobile…well…let’s just say they ratcheted the “bling” component up to about 11 for this one. Even more glowy spinners than the Forever car, even spikier batwing tailfins, a quasi-transparent body shell and – just like the TV series car – no more roof all pointed to a Batmobile and Batman character that seemed to kick “stealth” down a few notches on his modus operandi.

The Dark Knight Trilogy

This is kind of where the Batmobile story takes a weird turn; no longer did it look lithe and low, instead appearing enormous and somewhat jeep-like. The weird part is how this particular Batmobile – nicknamed (or is that “officially named”?) The Tumbler wasn’t exclusive to Bruce Wayne himself. For starters, you can see that Wayne Enterprises owned a whole fleet of them to the point where we see Wayne actually having to request one in black from Lucius Fox. Later, in The Dark Knight Rises the “fleet” thing is driven home when we see a number of Tumblers patrolling the Gotham streets. Fun fact: The Tumbler was fully functional and did many of its own stunts during the filming of the movie.

Batman V Superman/Suicide Squad/Justice League

Good for this entry making its way into three movies – but that’s kind of easy to do when so much of what’s seen on-screen is CGI. This particular Batmobile may look kind of like a neat cross between the Tumbler and something a little more lithe and athletic (think quarterback to The Tumbler’s linebacker), but it was huge and quite expensive to build (its Mercedes-sourced 6.3L V8 probably didn’t help on the cost front) – and had to make it through three full-length movies. So, some CGI-derived cost-cutting had to happen. It does have the honour of the only Batmobile to be wrecked by Superman’s claws, though
We would love to hear your fun/historical/interesting piece including pictures and a short bio. Email to: [email protected]. 
 

 
What’s Cookin’?
 


 

 Skeleton Crudite
Looking to get veggies in on Halloween? Serve it up in this fun way to get everyone to put down the candy for a bit. The ingredients this week are all suggestions so arrange them with the vegetables of your liking and take a look at two different images for ideas.

Ingredients
Bell Pepper
Cucumber
Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Tomato
Mushroom
Radish
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Olives
Snap peas
Directions
Make sure to slice the bell peppers in long strips. 
For the picture on the right the “guts” is spiralized zucchini and thinly sliced radishes. 
Be sure to serve with a side of ranch or vegetable dip!
 
If you have a recipe to share, please email us a picture of yourself and your recipe at [email protected] and you could be featured in our next newsletter!
 
 

 
Brain Food
 

 

 
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Reinsurance Trust Updates

BACKGROUND

London & Capital has been managing Trust-compliant portfolios for dealers’ reinsurance programs for over 15 years. We don’t believe that reinsurers’ investment objectives can only be met by off-the-shelf fund solutions. We work to create individual Trust Account portfolios with individual holdings, structured around the specific needs of the dealer’s reinsurance program. Investing in individual securities wherever possible, allows the portfolios to remain relatively liquid and provides for more flexible risk management strategies.

Investing with a deep understanding of Trust accounts, investment restrictions and the F&I space ensures we can streamline the admin burden and set-up requirements for dealers and Agents, while meeting the stringent requirements of Administrators.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN 2023

  • With inflation well above the 2% Federal Reserve target, financial markets have need to adapt to the sharpest rise in the Fed interest rates in the past 40 years as the base rate has moved from 0.5% to 5.5% and counting.
  • The banking failures in March, although uncomfortable, appear to have been successfully contained.
  • The S&P 500 Index posted solid gains in the first half of the year. The performance can be almost entirely attributed to a strong bounce in share prices of the largest seven tech firms (Apple, Microsoft, Google, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, Tesla and Meta) after a torrid 2022. These seven largest companies now make up more than 25% of the index.

WHATS NEXT

The fundamental questions all market participants are asking is:

  1. Will the US economy will enter into a recession?
  2. Will inflation continue to trend down towards the Fed’s 2% target?

The Fed need to navigate a difficult tightrope between keeping inflation in check (by hiking short-term interest rates), without inducing a severe economic recession in the process. They’re aiming to keep interest rates in a Goldilocks range and pull off a ‘soft landing’ (i.e. slow the economy enough to kill inflation but without causing a severe recession) – not too high, not too low! Equity returns this year suggest that investors are betting that they can do it, encouraged by the trend of slowing inflation.

However, we’ve seen plenty of volatility in prices when the Fed has come out to show their hand – most recently at the famous annual Jackson Hole speech where Fed Chairman Jerome Powell suggested they’d rather push rates a little higher to ensure inflation is under control (and therefore accept the risk of inducing a recession). We expect that uncertainty to continue into the end of this year.

Given the strong start to the year and the ongoing risk of higher future interest rates, we have been reducing risk; trimming our equity exposure and increasing our bond exposure. Why have we done this? Given the ongoing mixed economic data, trying to time the market to perfection or call ‘peak rates’ is a fools errand and we’re expecting more bumps in the road as we head into Q4 2023. We’re looking to err on the side of caution and ensure we’re protecting and preserving capital over the long-term.

If the Fed falls off the tightrope and short-term interest rates move higher, we’d likely see a falls in values of risk assets. Bond prices may also fall a little but the higher bond coupons on offer today provides us a level of income that should cushion the impact.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Reinsurance Trust account restrictions often mean that portfolios can only have a limited allocation to Equities (i.e. 10-20% of the portfolio). As such, allocations to fixed income securities make up the vast majority of a Reinsurance Trust portfolio.

Equity exposure remains meaningful for the portfolio, but it is an asset class that remains very sensitive to the changing economic conditions and therefore where we see the most volatile returns. However, fixed income bonds provide much more consistent investment income, especially now interest rates have risen sharply over the past 9 months, and it’s this income that will likely determine the path of returns for the Reinsurance Trust accounts. The outlook for cash and bonds looks much more attractive than in the previous five years and we can now expect yields of 6% or more per year over the medium term.

Claims Administrators’ Latest (and Greatest) Challenge

Claims administrators face a variety of challenges, including new and evolving regulations, staffing needs and catastrophic events. But at the moment, our greatest challenge may be keeping abreast of rapidly evolving expectations.

Technology plays a pivotal role. A successful administrator must be keenly aware of what our agents, dealers and customers want and need and how to provide solutions that solve their problems.

Those at the forefront of claims administration have transitioned to app-based or mobile-friendly platforms to account for advances in technology and have created a model more akin to a self-service portal. Such platforms allow dealership personnel and customers to access information and file claims beyond typical service hours.

But consumers are increasingly demanding a phone-based experience — and not to make calls. They want to communicate and transact via text. Savvy claims administrators must embrace these challenges, embark on digital transformation initiatives and accommodate changing needs to stay one step ahead.

Originally posted by Portfolio https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/claims-administrators-latest-greatest-challenge%3FtrackingId=BjI%252BQUUhyCK%252FnpZgttAsAw%253D%253D/?trackingId=BjI%2BQUUhyCK%2FnpZgttAsAw%3D%3D

September Newsletter

Labor Day can be a bittersweet time of the year; kiddos going back to school, long summer nights quickly disappearing, and end of the summer selling season can be tough to deal with. Conversely, we are on the doorstep of football season, the Ryder Cup, and for many people, fall weather and leaves changing is their favorite season.
 
Labor Day unofficially bookends the Summer and to some extent, draws most Summer activities to a close. As this Labor Day comes and goes, it certainly brings to mind the current strife the automotive industry and its primary labor force is facing. We are all hoping for a best possible outcome so the wheels (pun intended) of industry can keep churning.
 
Speaking of labor, if you are like most dealers, you have increased your labor rate several times in the last couple years, as well as having your parts cost increase by well over 20% (see article below). For most dealers, their reinsurance representation is not helping them navigate these changes to maintain the desired level of profitability. We have seen dealers, especially with vertically integrated companies, and OEM’s take big hits to their profitability because they are not working for the dealer.
 
Reinsurance is a huge wealth building opportunity, and unfortunately most of the industry is not well versed in how to manage all facets of what goes into a successful, and profitable reinsurance company. Dealers may go months, or even years without seeing a statement, and when they get it, there is a good chance they don’t know everything that goes into it (which by the way is not their fault), that is what they hire a product provider to do.
 
For those reasons, and many more, we are hosting our 2nd Annual Reinsurance Lunch and Learn with Jeremy Elsberry from GPW&A, the leading provider of reinsurance accounting and management for dealers. Please be sure to click the link below to register for the incredibly valuable session.
 
Some shareworthy news items…
 
Soaring Auto Repair Costs Prices Take Significant Jump In A Year
Motor Vehicle Thefts are Up 34% Over Same Period Last Year
Union Alleges GM, Stellantis Not Bargaining in Good Faith 
BMW, Mercedes launch biggest EV push yet to catch Tesla with new models
Voluntary Protection Product Policy Information

Events we will be attending:
 
Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com
 
Good luck and Good Selling!
Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Full Newsletter

New-Vehicle Incentives Make a Comeback in July

J.D. Power reports incentives rose to 3.9% of the vehicle’s sticker price in July.

New-vehicle incentives have made a comeback, with a noticeable spike in July.

According to J.D. Power data, incentives rose to 3.9% of the vehicle’s sticker price, up from 2% in July 2022.

Automakers offered incentives of about $2,151 per vehicle, up from $1,174 in July 2022, according to Motor Intelligence data. J.D. Power put incentives at $1,830 per vehicle in July, a significant year-over-year increase from $908.

J.D. Power analysts note that the increase in incentives is driven by:

  • Electric vehicle offers
  • Luxury car lease deals
  • Growing inventory levels

The higher days’ supply of EVs compared to combustion vehicles has increased the industry’s spending on incentives. In fact, EV incentives average $3,986, Tyson Jominy, vice president of data and analytics at J.D. Power, told Automotive News.

J.D. Power and Motor Intelligence data also noted that the return of leasing, which decreased significantly when vehicles were in short supply, also boosted incentive spending, particularly in the luxury segment. Overall lease spending increased to more than $6,000 per vehicle from $3,500 in July 2022, according to Jominy. For premium brands, lease spending reached $8,815 in July.

Greater inventories also drive the incentives increase as automakers strive to move more cars. As of August, GlobalData reported inventories of light-duty vehicles totaled 1.9 million, up 14% year-over-year. Although days’ supply of vehicles remains low at 36 days, it has increased from 28 days in 2022.

Originally published by Auto Dealer Today. https://www.autodealertodaymagazine.com/371600/new-vehicle-incentives-make-a-comeback-in-july?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20230807_1690:64d13f60fe84667ba809eed3:ot_NL-ADT-Enews-Monday-20230807&omid=1141009562&cid=6351a3105ab698cb750194d1

August Newsletter

It is hard to believe that summer is heading into its final weeks! It feels like yesterday when we announced our Summer Tune-Up Series for F&I, Sales, and Fixed Ops Training Classes in conjunction with The Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association and the Great Lakes RV Association.

To date we have hosted eight classes which all received incredibly high praise from the attendees and have even heard of some record setting performances taking place upon returning to their stores. We are looking forward to hosting more classes for the dealer community, and going more in depth on our sales and training philosophies. Make sure you follow our LinkedIn page to see updates and testimonials from attendees.

Now that we have surpassed the halfway point of the year and all signs are pointing to a strong finish to the year (2023 U.S. Light Vehicle Forecast raised to 15.4 million from 15.1 million) we want to make sure dealers can take advantage of every opportunity presented to them. Whether it’s reviewing your digital marketing strategy and comparing it to the awesome power of Client Command or looking to establish a Why Buy Here to compete in your market, or if you are looking to maximize your in-store F&I results and reinsurance performance, we at ADS are ready to help you and your teams get to the next level! Reach out to us at [email protected] to learn more about how we are helping dealers exceed their goals.

Some shareworthy news items…

Ford loses billions on EV’s, shifts focus to hybrids

Car repair costs are up almost 20% over the past year. Here are 6 reasons why

Proposed IRS Rules on Microcaptives Defy Precedent and Logic

Used car prices expected to stabilize following major decline in June

New Car Market: Prices Are About To Plummet Due to Oversupply

RV industry steers through post-pandemic US slump Events we will be attending:

Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com

Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Full Newsletter

July Newsletter

And poof, there goes the first half of the year! Not sure about anyone else, but we are amazed at how fast the calendar continues to turn.

There are so many different metrics to track in our industry (check out the comprehensive report from Colonnade Advisors below), both on the micro and macro levels, and certainly no shortage of prognosticators willing to opine on a wide variety of items.

In the last 3-years, we have heard about a ‘digital transformation’, industry ‘electrification’, and the thought of ‘brick and mortar’ dealerships going by the wayside. Having read countless blogs, watched numerous videos, and participated in several conversations about these topics, we can assure you of two things; our industry is evolving, and the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Yes, our industry is evolving, what industries aren’t? At the end of the day the retail transaction so many of us are fortunate to participate in remains largely unchanged. Sure, there is a digital component to it these days. ‘Fresh ups’ on the lot don’t happen as often as they once did, but the process of qualifying, selecting, demonstrating, negotiating, and delivering are largely still intact, and that makes us happy.

At ADS we have a saying, ‘the process is the shortcut’. Over the last several years, many in retail have forgotten to follow the process while presenting and selling a vehicle, offering protection products in the business office, or recommending maintenance in the service drive.

In collaboration with the Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association, we are putting on a Summer Tune-Up Series for F&I, Sales, and Service. A ‘back to the basics’ if you will. We hope to see many of you, as you look to sharpen your skills, as we head into prime selling season. Registration for the classes are below.

Some shareworthy news items…

Colonnade Auto Dealerships Industry Report Spring 2023

ERC Tops The IRS’ Dirty Dozen List

New Vehicle Sales up 11% YoY

Events we will be attending:

Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com

Hope You All Had A Happy Independence Day

Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Full Newsletter

F&I Training Tune Up

With demand outpacing supply, many sales professionals acted as clerks. In an ever-changing market, this is a perfect time to focus on the basics and Fully commit to treating our craft as an art. The Summer Tune Up Series will consist of three one-day classes focused on getting back to the basics of sales, F&I, and service.

Finance and Insurance (F&I):” Frustration and Indigestion” or “Fun and Income”
Understanding the role of a Finance Manager, today’s customer, and having a non-confrontational process will provide a better performance in the Finance Department. This course will provide immediate measurable results using the tips, techniques, and processes taught. Taking the “Frustration and Indigestion” out of F&I and turning it into ” Fun and Income”.

Learn from a 30-year industry veteran who has trained thousands of high performers. Our Director of Training and Development Eddie Rains will be facilitating the course in our Corporate Training Center in Richfield, OH. This course will be free to GCADA and ADS members/clients.

Follow the link to sign up! https://advanceddealersolutions.com/about-us/class-registration/

June Newsletter

We hope everyone had a tremendous Memorial Day weekend and was able to take some time to thank a soldier or veteran for their sacrifice to this great country!

Now that we have cruised past the ‘Unofficial Start to Summer’, we are nearing, or already in the prime selling season. This is the time of year in our industries when we should be at our best. Websites are being clicked, texts inquiries are being sent, and deals are getting closed. Based upon some recent data (see article below), we should see a fairly strong summer selling season; let’s make sure we are in a position to make the most of our opportunities.

As we travel across the country working with dealers, we have been hearing a common theme; ‘business was great the last couple years, but it seems like we got lazy.’ This has been in reference to lackadaisical sales processes, poor F&I presentations, and a clerk mentality in the service drive. In order to assist dealers with helping their teams ‘get back to the basics’, we teamed up with the Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association to provide a Summer Tune Up Series. These one-day sessions will cover the basics of F&I, sales and service. There is no charge if you are a GCADA member, or an ADS customer. Please click the link below to register for these value packed sessions.  

Here’s to making hay while the sun is shining!

Some shareworthy news items…

High Demand Creates High Sales Volume

Ditching the EV???

$5.5 Billion Invested to Handle EV Sales and Service

Good luck and Good Selling!

Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Link to our full newsletter

IRS has issued confusing guidelines on Captive Insurance; some taxpayers now in limbo

When members of Congress travel to Oklahoma this week, we hope they hear one message loud and clear: The IRS needs to stop targeting honest small-business owners and farmers who use the 831(b) tax code, also known as Captive Insurance.

Small businesses around the country successfully protect themselves through this tax code, helping them through events and financial losses that traditional insurance does not cover. But now, those small businesses are being forced to hire lawyers to defend themselves from the IRS, which has unfairly singled them out.

This issue directly affects the Modoc Nation, where some providers of 831(b) captives are domiciled. Fees paid to those plans help benefit the Modoc Nation’s wide range of social assistance for our members, such as child care assistance, scholarships for higher education, and improved housing. With our commitment to conservation, we’ve also reintroduced a herd of 200 bison to the Modoc range.

We’re proud to help facilitate 831(b) captives and know organizations need to mitigate unforeseen risks. This was no more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic when organizations faced unprecedented financial challenges.

Unfortunately for many, traditional insurance plans did not cover the wide range of business disruptions and expenses the pandemic brought.

This is where the 831(b) tax code comes in. Congress showed foresight nearly four decades ago when it created 831(b), a special section of the tax code that allows individuals and small businesses to set aside tax-deferred funds for unforeseen or catastrophic events.

This tax code can provide risk coverage not normally available in the traditional insurance market. For instance, an 831(b) captive can help when unpredictable events hit — such as the avian flu, which recently devastated the poultry and egg industries, or prolonged downturns in the oil and gas markets.

Similar to 401K individual retirement accounts, an 831(b) captive allows business owners to put aside pre-tax dollars that can be used to cover unforeseen business disruptions in the future.

This form of self-insurance enables small- to mid-sized businesses to sustain cash flow, generate investment income, and alleviate the burden from losses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 831(b) captives helped small businesses navigate widespread business and supply chain interruptions.

Unfortunately, the IRS has recently taken a different view of 831(b) captives. This has been especially true since 2016 when the agency began a systematic campaign of audits relating to the 831(b) tax code.

Since then, the IRS issued confusing guidance on how 831(b) is treated for tax purposes, leaving some honest taxpayers in limbo or facing unreasonable audits and penalties. Alternatively, many small businesses are afraid to participate and use this great risk mitigation tool because of the IRS’s confusion on guidance.

Aside from its wide-ranging audit program, the IRS also imposed burdensome new reporting requirements.

The IRS has not been fair to small businesses with 831(b) captives and has made it impossible for us to follow the rules when they won’t even explain the rules they’re expected to follow.

We hope the committee will urge the IRS to end its un-American campaign against small businesses and farmers.

Original posting by The Oklahoman. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/03/06/guest-irss-guidelines-on-captive-insurance-leave-some-in-limbo/69971204007/