News

Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo is warning Connecticut employers and residents of an uptick in unemployment benefits fraud due to identity theft. Connecticut is among states being targeted by criminals who are flooding the unemployment system using stolen identities to file for benefits. During the pandemic, stolen identities were available on the dark web for about one dollar. Criminals are still mining this resource to purchase names, Social Security Numbers, birth dates, and other personal information that they use to apply for credit cards, bank loans, and unemployment benefits. Connecticut’s unemployment system is currently receiving several thousand claims per day; CTDOL suspects around 75% are fraudulent and is withholding payment.

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law legislation approved by the Connecticut General Assembly during the recently adjourned session that requires students to complete a half-credit course in personal financial management and financial literacy in order to graduate from Connecticut public high schools. It also adds personal financial management and financial literacy to the state’s required program of instruction for public schools.

If you own a business with 5 or more employees and do not offer a qualified retirement savings plan, state law requires that you provide a retirement savings option. Initial registration deadlines have passed, but you can still take action by August 31, 2023. Employers can register with MyCTSavings at no cost to the business, or provide a private retirement plan to comply with the law. Learn more and register at https://myctsavings.com/employers/program-details.

Legislative leaders are considering calling a special session after the November election

The crush of 30,000 applications for a $30 million program to compensate Connecticut workers who couldn’t work from home at the beginning of the pandemic is expected to be fully functional by the end of the week.

The bill requires CPAs to keep work product and workpaper related to work for a client for at least seven years after creation unless the law requires a longer retention. Current law only specifies that CPAs must retain workpaper as required by law.

Taxation of CPA services was a hot topic in several state legislatures this year as states sought to fix expected revenue shortfalls.

State owes almost $8,000 for every man, woman and child.