The Firm of Gardner & Billing, CPAs PLLC

Although you might not know it, you probably quote history on a daily basis. The English language is filled with idioms, sayings and bits of slang that are derived from historical events and legends. While the connections are sometimes obvious, other phrases have become so commonplace that most speakers probably never stop to consider their source. Find out about the unusual origin stories behind 10 everyday phrases. 1. Turn a blind eye The phrase “turn a blind eye”—often used to refer to a willful refusal to acknowledge a particular reality—dates back to a legendary chapter in the career of the British naval hero Horatio Nelson. During 1801’s Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson’s ships were pitted against a large Danish-Norwegian fleet. When his more conservative superior officer flagged for him to withdraw, the one-eyed Nelson supposedly brought his telescope to his bad eye and blithely proclaimed, “I really do not see the signal.” He went on to score a decisive victory. Some ...

I’ve heard it more than once, so thought I’d share some of the “other stuff” we do. Although most of our workload is related to tax work or payroll, the CPAs also review and advise on accounting issues and assist in resolving and unraveling problems. The support staff spends massive amounts of time handling (safely and confidentially) the reams of paper that flow into the office.  We scan and electronically store all of the work papers used in preparing each income tax return, as well as the returns themselves and related correspondence. We keep paper copies of all that material for three years then verify that each piece was scanned legibly before each sheet is shredded. So each year during the non-tax season, we review and shred all of the paper used four years previously. We use spreadsheets to track the recipients and dollar amounts of 1099s for the clients that need to submit them. Spreadsheets are also used for many of our clients to total expenses and incom...

In the United States, the nine digits that make up your Social Security number (SSN) may be the most important numbers in your life. You are required to apply for your SSN when you start your first job, and it stays with you from then on! We use our SSNs daily, although many times we don't even know it.   Important as it is, we may not know much about the origin of our specific number and how SSNs came to be. What is Social Security? Generally, the term social security describes a program that uses public funds to provide a degree of economic security for the public. The specific social security discussed here is the United States government program established in 1935 that provides old age, disability, and survivors insurance, as well as supplemental security income , an income for the elderly or disabled. The original and essential purpose of SSNs is to keep track of the money you put into the Social Security program so that you can get the benefits...