Top 10 Finance stories of 2014

Another year is in the books. But before we jump head-first into 2015, we’re taking one last look at the most-popular Resourceful Finance Pro stories of the past year. Based on your clicks, these are the top 10 stories of 2014.

10. Warning: DOL found three-fourths of 401(k)s illegal

Here’s a very compelling reason to take a closer look at your 401(k) plan: Seventy-five percent of the 401(k)s audited by the DOL last year resulted in plan sponsors being fined, penalized or forced to make reimbursements for plan errors. And those fines and penalties weren’t cheap.

9. The 20 most annoying buzzwords at work

You know them when you hear them: those words and phrases thrown around in meetings and in memos that just make you groan.

8. 25 passwords no one in Finance should be using

You’d think by now that everyone knows that “password” and “111111″ don’t make for a secure password. Well, if they do, it seems they don’t care.

7. Sneak peek: How IRS expects you to report health coverage next year

For years now, employers knew they’d soon have to start reporting their employee health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Then earlier this summer, some help: Draft forms were finally released of the information returns you and your finance staffers would have to use.

6. 21 best Excel shortcuts — all in one place

Love ’em or loathe ’em, spreadsheets are the lifeblood of any Finance department. Why not make it as easy on yourself as possible? Here’s a collection of the best Excel shortcuts.

5. Obama to overhaul overtime rules: What it means for Finance

Get ready! There are some big changes in store for your payroll department.

4. Workers gone wild: 7 outrageous cases of employee fraud

For some rogue staffers, lifting office supplies or seeking reimbursement on a few minor “non-business related” charges is mere child’s play.

3. Do you and your staffers know these 10 ‘power’ Excel skills?

You probably consider yourself pretty adept at using Excel. The same hopefully goes for your finance staffers.

2. New IRS rules impact A/P, leave Payroll out

Put your Accounts Payable department on alert: It’s in for some changes when it comes to its key year-end task: 1099s.

1. IRS creates $36K per-worker Obamacare fine

If you were planning on sending workers out onto the insurance exchanges with a lump-sum of cash for premium costs, you’ll want to read the feds’ latest warning.