Category: IRS

  The IRS continues to zero in on what it calls the “tax gap” — the amount between the taxes that are voluntarily paid and the amount the tax agency believes is actually due. To this end, the IRS has issued a series of documents to provide better understanding of the tax code. One example is specifically directed at the construction industry. The tax agency emphasizes instances where taxpayers failed to report, or under-reported, income from construction activities. This applies… Read more ›

If you want a retirement plan for your small company or self-employed business — but you don’t want to be buried in paperwork — consider a simplified employee pension plan or SEP. Among the appealing advantages: SEPs are set up by simply filling out a brief form. Annual reports aren’t required to be filed with the IRS, although you must provide a copy of the SEP form to each covered employee. (Most retirement plans require detailed reports to be filed… Read more ›

  For charitable donors, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provided some tax breaks and took away others. Here’s what charity-minded individuals need to know. Increased Charitable Deduction Limit Under prior law, deductions for cash contributions to public charities and certain private foundations were limited to 50% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). The TCJA, which passed in December of 2017, increased the deductible limit to 60% of AGI for the 2018-2025 tax years. Deductions that are disallowed by… Read more ›

If your company has a qualified retirement plan or you have set one up in self-employment — such as a 401(k), profit-sharing, or Keogh plan — the participants might be allowed to borrow from their accounts. (This option is not available for traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEPs, or SIMPLE-IRAs.) In the right circumstances, taking out a plan loan can be a smart financial move because a participant gains access (within limits) to his or her retirement account money without having… Read more ›

  There’s a world of tax difference between repairs to real estate property and capital improvements. And it’s not just semantics. The characterization could result in an increase or decrease of thousands of dollars on your tax return. Basic premise: Repairs are currently deductible in full and can be used to offset the tax from rental income. On the other hand, improvements must be written off over a period of years. It takes 27.5 years to write off improvements for… Read more ›

It’s critical for your organization to keep accurate tax related documents and maintain a good recordkeeping system. This way, you can respond to an IRS audit or prove compliance with various laws should it become necessary. However, you don’t have to retain every paper document or electronic file that crosses your desk. The IRS requires organizations to keep certain essential documents on file. These records back up accounting entries, reported taxable income, expenses and deductions. For example, you must keep… Read more ›

Click here to learn more about our tax, accounting and advisory services for attorneys and law firms. Partners in professional service firms must sometimes pay for certain firm-related business expenses out of their own pockets. For instance, a law firm partner may have to personally absorb the costs of entertaining prospective clients who are not on a designated firm-wide list of potential clients for which the firm will reimburse the costs of wining and dining. Also, a partner may incur personal auto… Read more ›

If you operate a business that collects payroll taxes from employees, here’s a warning: Regardless of what your corporate financial situation is, don’t borrow from the withholding tax fund. If that money isn’t there when it’s due, Uncle Sam will crack down hard. All businesses face downturns when cash flow dries up. It may be tempting to look at payroll tax money as an easy fix to a cash crunch. “I’ll send it in later,” you may think. But when… Read more ›

IRS examiners usually do their homework before meeting with taxpayers and their professional representatives. This includes reviewing any relevant Audit Techniques Guides (ATGs) that typically focus on a specific industry or audit-prone business transaction. Though designed to help IRS examiners prepare for audits, ATGs are available to the public. So, small business taxpayers can review them, too — and gain valuable insights into issues that might surface during audits. Auditor Specialization In the past, IRS examiners were randomly assigned to… Read more ›

Are you feeling generous? Qualified charitable contributions can be rewarded with sizeable tax breaks during the second calendar year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent legislation includes the following four temporary tax law changes that are designed to help individuals and businesses that donate to charities through the end of 2021. 1. Deductions for Non-Itemizers In the past, you could claim significant itemized deductions on your federal income tax return for contributing money or property (or both) to qualified charitable organizations… Read more ›