Microsoft will be discontinuing support and critical updates for both Windows XP and Office 2003 on April 8th, 2014. This is a significant event as many businesses today are still using these tools in their offices. It is crucial to start planning now as updates and support will no longer be available after this date. This becomes especially urgent for Windows XP as unsupported and unpatched environments are vulnerable to security risks. This may result in an officially recognized control failure by an internal or external audit body, leading to suspension of certifications, and/or public notification of the organization’s inability to maintain its systems and customer information.
Please know that you can count on 360IT PARTNERS to help your company plan for this transition. There are many options to consider including system refresh, OS upgrade, MS Office Upgrade, Office 365, and virtualization. Our staff can assist in answering many difficult questions and pick the best options that work for your organization and its budget.
Keep in mind that for end of year tax planning purposes that the 2013 Section 179 capital deduction limit is $500K. This is good on new and used equipment, as well as off-the-shelf software. This strategy will allow your business to book the entire purchase as an expense this calendar year and avoid amortizing the asset purchase over several years. Please seek advice from your CPA how the Section 179 can benefit your business.
